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