Choctaw company shows military commitment

Choctaw Defense — one of the manufacturing businesses owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation — has manufactured missile components, trailers, heaters and other military equipment for over 20 years.

Founded in 1988 as Choctaw Manufacturing and Development Corporation (CMDC), in Hugo with only 60 employees, CEO Stephen Benefield said Choctaw Defense started by building laser guided bomb components for Texas Instruments.

After completing contracts for the missiles, the Choctaw Nation decided there was a future in defense contracts and formed Choctaw Defense. The tribe moved to McAlester facilities in 2001.

Originally designed to produce multipurpose trailers for the Marine MTVR vehicle, the facility now manufactures portable heating, lighting and electricity units for the armed forces. In addition, the company produces the Battle Damage Assessment Repair Kit.

The kit allows troops to make minor repairs to service vehicles long enough to get them safely back to base, Benefield said.

Choctaw Defense also recently received a $20 million dollar contract to build the CAMEL II for the Army. The CAMEL is a self-contained water tank that provides fresh water for troops, he said.

“The CAMEL is designed to provide temperature controlled water no matter what environment the soldier is in,” Benefield said.

During a tour of the 80,000-square-foot production facility, one would expect to see the oil and dirt typically found in most production facilities. Not at Choctaw Defense, instead, the workers are provided with a pristine work area, free from clutter.