The South Carolina State Guard (SCSG) is the designated state defense force for the state of South Carolina.
The State Guard maintains its headquarters in Columbia. Battalions are located in the cities of Columbia (1st Midlands Battalion), Charleston (3rd Coastal Battalion), and Fountain Inn (2nd Highland Battalion). The Professional Services Command, including the Judge Advocate General section, Medical Detachment, Provost Marshal Command, Engineering Detachment, Search and Rescue Command (SARCOM), and Chaplains Corp are located at the State Guard HQ in Columbia along with the Chief of Staff Command consisting of the Cyber Security, Communications & Electronic Section, Business Development Section, and Public Affairs.
Status
Organized under Section 25-3-10 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, the State Guard is designated as a protective reserve military force under the command of the South Carolina Military Department and the South Carolina Adjutant General. The SC National Guard Adjutant General is responsible for organizing and maintaining the State Guard to fulfill its missions(Sec. 25-3-10) as stipulated in various sections under Title 25, Chapter 3.
Tasked as a state defense force, the State Guard's primary overarching mission is to be prepared to protect and, when called into service by the Governor, protect the citizens and property of the state and uphold the laws of the state. Units are occasionally sent out of state by order of the Governor, as in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, after Hurricane Katrina and during the Mexican-American War in the mid-1800s. The State Guard is essentially the modern-day continuation of the South Carolina Militia, which has been in existence in some form since before the United States of America became a sovereign nation. The State Guard is composed of non-conscript volunteers, many of whom are veterans of the federal armed services; the federal military reserves, South Carolina Army National Guard, or South Carolina Air National Guard.
When called into service, members of the State Guard are paid according to federal military pay scales (Section 25-3-140: "When units of the State Guard are called into service they shall receive pay equal to the National Guard"). Members are normally not paid for drill or training time but employers are required by law to grant time off for authorized training and call out without discrimination or penalty. Some Federal and State agencies and private employers provide pay continuance to employees during training during work hours under orders. Guard members also receive certain tax and mileage deductions and, when authorized, reimbursement for travel or special training.
The Governor of South Carolina has the authority to call into service, the State Guard or any units, at any time the governor deems necessary to protect the lives and property of the citizens of the state, or if there is imminent danger or to protect the laws of the state (Section 25-3-20 & Section 25-3-130). The Governor can also activate units of the State Guard when a significant number of the South Carolina National Guard are out of state for federal service or when augmentation is needed.
To fulfill its state mandated mission, the State Guard maintains a provost marshal detachment (PMD), composed of trained and certified law enforcement officers. These State Guardsmen receive continuous and rigorous training for law enforcement augmentation and other missions as directed. When activated, the PMD may augment state and local law enforcement agencies by contributing armed or unarmed State Guardsmen to assist law enforcement in many different capacities.
History
Origins
The South Carolina State Guard history traces its history back to the Charleston Militia in 1670. Former Commanders and Brigade Commanders include Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, Thomas Sumter and William Washington who recaptured the South from British occupation in concert with Continental forces under Major General Nathanael Greene. The frigate South Carolina commanded by the naval component of the State Guard was responsible for capturing tons of gunpowder from the British to supply the state and Continental Armies in the early stages of the war.
State Guard troops were instrumental in defeating the Spanish and securing Florida in the early 1800s and they served with distinction in the War with Mexico, the Civil War, and the Spanish–American War.