DURANT, Okla. (AP) - A new chief of the third largest American Indian tribe in the United States has been sworn in.
Gary Batton was sworn in as chief of the Choctaw Nation during a ceremony Monday in Durant.
Batton succeeds Gregory Pyle, who retired last week from the post.
Batton served as the tribe’s assistant chief since 2007. Before that, he served the tribe in various capacities, including deputy director of the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority and executive director of health.
Batton says he will do his best to preserve the heritage and traditions of the tribe so that everyone can understand and appreciate its history and future.
The Choctaw Nation has nearly 200,000 tribal members and its jurisdiction covers several counties in southeast Oklahoma.
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