South Carolina State Guard

Description

About the Guard

The South Carolina Military Department is commanded by our State's Adjutant General. The Military Department consists of the S.C. National Guard, a part of our nation's military, and the State Guard, an all-volunteer state organization. The commander-in-chief of the State Guard is the governor. When serious natural or man-made disasters strike our state, members of the State Guard quickly respond to protect people and property and to help communities recover.

The State Guard is organized as an army division and is divided into three brigades. Each brigade has two battalions, corresponding to the boundaries of the six regions of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.

New and current members receive training at the State Guards's Military Academy located at the S.C. National Guard McCrady Training Center in Eastover, S.C.

The State Guard enjoys a rich history that stretches back to the volunteer citizen-militia which was formed at Charles Towne with the first settlers in 1670. During WWII with much of the S.C National Guard deployed overseas, the S.C. Defense Force (now the State Guard) was established for service at home.