National Guard | South Carolina Public Radio

"N" is for National Guard. The South Carolina National Guard evolved out of the state’s militia. In 1905 the organized militia was renamed the South Carolina National Guard and in 1916 all state militias were converted into a national reserve force.  Guardsmen were activated for the campaign along the Mexican border in 1916. During World War I, most guardsmen were used as replacement personnel. In 1940, the first guard units were federalized and by February 1941 the entire force had been mobilized. Following the war, the Guard was reorganized and gained an air arm, the Air National Guard. Although some individuals and units were called up for Korea and the Berlin Crisis, the Guard's mission was primarily that of disaster-response. In recent years, National Guard personnel have been deployed in Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan.