COLUMBIA--The enlisted ranks of South Carolina's Army National Guard are racially diverse, but statistics show that most black officers in the Guard are junior officers.

That, some black former guardsmen say, exemplifies the difficulties blacks have in reaching the top ranks, while white soldiers are promoted.

Several black Army guardsmen, convinced that their concerns would not be addressed through official channels, brought complaints about discrimination to the Columbia Urban League last fall and discussed their concerns with The (Columbia) State newspaper.

Most who complained recently retired with more than 20 years of military experience.

The Guard's leadership in South Carolina denies that discrimination is a problem. Lt. Col. Peter Brooks, the Guard's director of public affairs, said "there is definitely another side to the story."

The Guard provided the newspaper with statistics on the makeup of the Guard and its officers as well as surveys conducted among the ranks.

According to those statistics, a small number of black officers have positions in a special program that helps run the Guard on a full-time, day-to-day basis. Of the 87 officers in that program, six are black. None are ranked higher than major.

In one survey from a Guard unit in which a majority of those who responded identified themselves as black, slightly less than half said they were satisfied with their service in the Guard.

About 20 percent said a lack of promotion opportunities is their biggest complaint about the Guard, and 41 percent said a clique runs their unit.

"If you're not in the clique, you're not in the clique," said Ernest English Jr., who retired from the Guard as a sergeant after 24 years.

He and other black guardsmen say there are few black supervisors, and job openings are created for well-connected whites.

But the predominantly black unit's survey responses were similar to the ones from another unit, where most guardsmen identified themselves as white. The surveys are anonymous so guardsmen can feel more comfortable providing honest answers.

But the old system of awarding promotions in which units could give preference to their own candidates was changed 10 years ago, said Maj. Gen. Harry Burchstead Jr., the Guard's deputy adjutant general. Now those who are promoted are chosen from a statewide field based on points for things such as education, physical fitness and military awards and decorations.

"Our promotion system is adopted by 50 states," said Command Sgt. Maj. James E. Harris, the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer in the South Carolina National Guard. "It is not unique. It's a points system; it's not black or white."

Col. John Lee, the Army inspector general responsible for investigating complaints about the South Carolina Guard, wouldn't say whether discrimination complaints represent a significant portion of his cases.

Brooks and Burchstead said pay and benefits questions take up the bulk of the inspector general's work. Both said information about how to file a discrimination complaint is posted at Guard units.