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S.C. at War: Welcome home, soldier

Rep. James Smith receives handshakes, hugs as he returns to the S.C. House from Afghanistan

Rep. James Smith receives handshakes, hugs as he returns to the S.C. House from Afghanistan After 15 months in Afghanistan, Rep. James Smith, tanned, trim and sporting a high and tight haircut, returned to the House of Representatives on Thursday to standing ovations and hugs.

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  • S.C. at War: A long year, happy ending


    NEWBERRY — “Daddy’s home.” Sixteen-year-old Timothy Griffith announced it to waitresses as his family entered their regular hangout, The Palms Grill and Bar.  Photo gallery | Video- 9:19 AM

    Photo Gallery Available
  • S.C. at War: Soldiers, families complete reunions

    NEWBERRY — Lucille Epps’ prayer cards worked. After a year of her writing prayers inside cards and mailing them to Afghanistan, her son, Spc. Raymond Epps, came home.- 10:20 PM

  • Homecomings on tap for returning troops

    At armories across the state today, there will be seven homecoming celebrations for the 218th Brigade Combat Team. 4 p.m., West Columbia armory, 3528 Platt Springs Road- 12:38 AM

  • 200 S.C. Guard soldiers back in state

    More than 200 soldiers from the S.C. National Guard’s 132nd Military Police Company returned to the Midlands on Sunday after a yearlong combat tour in Iraq.- 7:45 AM

  • S.C. At War: Troops finally, finally make it home

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Waiting to board a bus for the West Columbia National Guard armory, Sgt. Rodney Miller considered the road ahead.- 10:24 PM

  • S.C. At War: 5 soldiers earned Bronze Stars

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. — While all the soldiers of the 218th Brigade Combat Team are being called “heroes” by their commanders, families and friends, there are a few whose heroics stand out.- 10:24 PM

  • SC House member who sought combat tour returning

    The South Carolina legislator who sought a combat role in Afghanistan is returning to his state House desk next week.- 12:32 PM

  • Guard unit arrives back in U.S. today

    An S.C. National Guard unit from West Columbia is on its way home from Iraq. About 200 soldiers from the 132nd Military Police Company are scheduled to arrive today at Camp Shelby, Miss., after spending a year in Iraq. The soldiers will spend a few days there to demobilize from active-duty to regular Guard status. Then they will return to South Carolina.- 10:49 PM

  • S.C. At War: Soldiers’ trip home gets back on track

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The return of 250 soldiers who helped trained Afghan army and police units is back on schedule. The troops, including 60 South Carolinians, will fly from Kuwait to Fort Riley, Kan., later this week, said Brig. Gen. Bob Livingston, commander of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team. Because of security concerns, the Army is not releasing the flight date.- 11:38 PM

  • S.C. at War: Almost home


    A lone yellow ribbon hangs on a tree outside the Griffith home in Pomaria. This week, it will come down, signaling the end of Sgt. 1st Class Todd Griffith’s deployment to Afghanistan.- 7:14 AM

  • Last of troops back in States

    POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. — Just about all of the S.C. National Guard’s 1,400 troops are back in the United States following a yearlong tour in Afghanistan.- 6:28 AM

  • S.C. at War: Troops’ achievement ‘incredible’

    KABUL, Afghanistan — What Capt. Hunter Hill found on his first visit to an Afghan police station in Kandahar province wasn’t encouraging.- 11:05 PM

  • The 218th’s fallen

    Three members of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team died during the unit’s yearlong tour of duty in Afghanistan- 10:37 PM

  • What they said

    The following are excerpts of speeches and statements offered Saturday during a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, where the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team turned over command of Task Force Phoenix. The S.C. unit was replaced by the 27th Brigade Combat Team of the N.Y. National Guard.- 10:37 PM

  • Not ‘a miracle, but ... pretty doggone close’

    Brig. Gen. Bob Livingston wore two hats during a yearlong tour of duty of Afghanistan. He was commander of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team and commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix. The 7,000-member Task Force was charged with training the Afghan army and police. He offers some thoughts about the tour and his troops’ performance.- 10:37 PM

  • S.C. Guard hands Phoenix reins to N.Y. troops


    CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan — It’s “y’all” vs. “youse guys” as S.C. National Guard troops hand the reins of Task Force Phoenix to their counterparts from New York this weekend.- 10:37 PM

    Photo Gallery Available
  • What the 218th did

    When the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team arrived last May in Afghanistan, the mission of Task Force Phoenix was doubled — from training the Afghan army to training the Afghan army and police, too. While Phoenix only had about half the soldiers it needed to carry out both missions, the task force — under the command of the 218th — notched several achievements during the last year.- 10:37 PM

  • S.C. at War: Decorated warriors coming home

    CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan — The S.C. National Guard might need to commandeer a C-17 transport plane from Charleston Air Force Base to haul home all the medals its soldiers have earned during the past year here.- 10:17 PM

  • Fort’s next commander a personnel specialist

    Fort Jackson’s next commanding general is slated to arrive in July. Brig. Gen. Bradley W. May will command the Army’s largest training post, the Pentagon said Friday. May has been head of the Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate at the Army’s Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va.- 10:17 PM

  • S.C. Guard: Help from 'our U.S. friends'


    KABUL, Afghanistan — Nearly two hours before the S.C. soldiers arrived, hundreds of people were crowded near the gates of Alo Kheyl School.- 11:28 AM

ABOUT S.C. AT WAR Staff Writer Chuck Crumbo spent 6 months in Afghanistan in 2007 covering the National Guard's 218th Brigade Combat Team. In February 2008, he returned to continue following the team.

Here you will also find videos, photo galleries, blogs and other online extras related to the war in Afghanistan.
VIDEO: A Letter Home
A Letter Home from Afghanistan
Lt. Col. Mike O'Neill, of Summerville created this "music video" as a letter home to his wife from Afghanistan. O'Neill runs the information operations cell for Task Force Phoenix.
PHOTO ESSAY
From the Back Seat of a Humvee
Chuck Crumbo documents life in Afghanistan from the back seat of a Humvee in this photo essay.
6 MONTHS IN AFGHANISTAN
Looking Back
Watch Staff Writer Chuck Crumbo's retrospective video in which he describes his experience as a reporter in Afghanistan.
VIDEO GREETINGSTroops stationed in Afghanistan offer video greetings to their friends and family members back home. Videos by Chuck Crumbo.
video Greetings from Gardez
video Greetings from Bagram
video Greetings from Herat
video Greetings from Afghanistan - Part 1
video Part 2
video Part 3
TRAINING THE 218th
South Carolina troops train in Camp Shelby, Miss. before they are deployed to Afghanistan. Videos and photos by Chuck Crumbo.

Reflexive Fire Training
Urban Ops Training
Convoy Simulation
S.C. at Camp Shelby


List of S.C. war dead
Members of the U.S. military with S.C. ties who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan
FOLLOWING THE GRIFFITHS

Download PDFs of our coverage of the Griffith family.