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Article published Mar 25, 2004
South Carolina State Guard looking for new recruits
Tony Taylor
Staff Writer
The South Carolina State Guard needs you -- even if you've never heard of them.The State Guard, not to be confused with the National Guard, is in dire need of recruits.Anyone from the age of 17 to 70 is eligible, regardless of military experience.Brig. Gen. Ed Hall, commander of the State Guard's 2nd Battalion, said the size of the State Guard is a concern because of the number of National Guardsmen deployed in Iraq."We need to fill our ranks so that we can help the National Guard when called upon," Hall said.The State Guard is running a large interstate billboard along I-85 to draw attention to their plight.Abbott Outdoor Advertising donated the billboard space, and the State Guard paid for the design.The State Guard was formed in the early 1600s and was originally known as the South Carolina Militia.Guard Members fought in the Revolutionary War, Civil War and the Spanish American War.Today their primary mission is to assist the National Guard during disaster relief.But the State Guard's status can be elevated when its members are asked to perform the duties of National Guardsmen, such as protection of terrorism targets and traffic direction during evacuations.About 2,300 of South Carolina's 9,200 National Guardsmen are deployed outside the state.Lt. Col. Peter Brooks, spokesman for the South Carolina National Guard, said the National Guard has not reached the level where State Guardsmen would be pressed into service.The State Guard has about 1,500 members in three brigades across the state.Hall, a Spartanburg resident and retired ROTC instructor at Wofford College, estimates about 400 members are under his command.Recruiting State Guardsmen can be challenging because its members receive no money or other benefits for their service."It's strictly a public service," Hall said.Training to become a State Guardsman is not as strenuous or time-consuming as National Guard training.Applicants with prior military experience are not required to attend any training exercises.Those without military experience have to participate in four, three-day intensive training sessions.There are two levels of enlistment in the State Guard.The first level consists of regular Guard members who attend meetings once a month.The second level, called cadre, consists of uniformed personnel who manage civil volunteers during emergency situations.Residents can also volunteer for the State Guard Reserves.Reservists have to attend just one meeting a year."Hopefully we can get a couple of hundred people out of this," Hall said. "But anybody we get is a bonus."Tony Taylor can be reached at 562-7219 or tony.taylor@shj.com.