Sanford says he'll serve if unit called-up

e-mail this story to a friend Related Web extra • Sanford's letter to Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer

"The bottom line for me is that I made a commitment and I am going to keep it. Therefore, as to any orders I receive I will do just as anyone else in my unit and follow them," Sanford said in the letter. "I believe simply that this is consistent with who I am as a person."

His unit is scheduled for call-up in June for duty in the Middle East, Sanford has said.

If it is, he might not have to leave South Carolina.

Debra Baldwin, spokeswoman for the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, said if the unit is activated, Sanford would likely serve at the Charleston Air Force Base and not be deployed overseas.

The unit has not been activated for the pending war against Iraq, but has approximately 20 reservists currently activated to support the war on terrorism, she said.

Sanford performs administrative duties for the squadron, which provides airlift service for injured soldiers.

The last governor to lead troops into battle was William Henry Lyttleton, the royal governor from 1756-60, who fought the Cherokee Indians, according to Walter Edgar, author of "South Carolina: a History."

Sanford could not be reached Tuesday for comment, but is scheduled to meet with reporters in his office at 10 a.m. today.

The letter also went to House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston. Both Sanford and Bauer are Republicans.

Sanford, 42, obtained a commission on Jan. 30, 2002 as a USAFR first lieutenant and was assigned to the 315th, near his Sullivans Island home.

Sanford's announcement represented a 180-degree shift in his position on active duty.

Before his Jan. 15 inauguration, he told The Associated Press that if his unit was called up, "I can't go with them. I'm trying to figure out where we go from here. By virtue of the fact I'm governor, I've moved into a nondeployable status."

Asked if he would resign his commission, Sanford said: "I may have to do that."

Those remarks prompted criticism of Sanford from Dick Harpootlian, the state Democratic Party chairman.

"When the going gets tough, the yellow get going," Harpootlian said at the time. "At the mere hint of having to go to war, he runs like a scalded dog."

Harpootlian could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

James Underwood, a constitutional expert at the University of South Carolina, said he was unaware of any provisions that would prohibit the governor from serving.

Sanford would have no choice if activated, said Baldwin, and could not transfer to a nondeployable unit. His reserve commitment is for six years, she said.

Wilkins said Sanford's decision was "commendable, brave and right. Lt. Gov. Bauer can do the job. We're a team working together and if the governor is called up, we won't miss a beat and will welcome him back."

Bauer's spokesman, Randy Page, said if the governor's unit is activated, "the lieutenant governor is prepared to assist the governor and the people of South Carolina in any way possible."

Underwood said the state constitution has "no clear language" on the power of a lieutenant governor temporarily filling in.

"My personal opinion is that the constitution doesn't mean for the lieutenant governor taking over temporarily to have the sweeping powers a lieutenant governor would have in the death of a governor," he said.

In his letter, Sanford said his decision to join the reserves was an example for his four young sons.

"It's about being a dad. I've said from the beginning that I did this because, on a personal level, I wanted to signal to my boys the importance of duty and the fact that there is a real disconnect in our country between the rights and the responsibilities that go with being an American."

"I also believe this is consistent with the concept of servant leadership. I have a much bigger responsibility now as Governor of South Carolina than I did when I began this process but ultimately the essence of servant leadership is being available not when you think the time is best – but when you are called," he wrote.

If Sanford is activated, constitutional procedure requires him to notify the lieutenant governor when he will temporarily vacate the office. Similarly, he must provide written notification to return.

Sanford said he had full confidence in Bauer, Wilkins and McConnell to "ensure that the agenda I laid out for our state last week is fulfilled."

Like Sanford, Bauer, 33, was elected last November. He served in the state House 1997-99 and in the Senate from 1999-02.

Staff writer Michael Buchanan in Greenville contributed to this report.