The Fort Mill unit was known until recently as “B” Company of the 178th Combat Engineer Battalion. Besides the guard unit and armory in Fort Mill, the 178th has a headquarters unit at its armory in Rock Hill, and armories in Chester, Lancaster, Clover and Wellford near Spartanburg. Most of the soldiers in the Fort Mill unit were deployed massage yiwu to Iraq in 2003 and 2004, and many in the unit also served in Afghanistan with thousands of South Carolina guardsmen attached to the 218th Brigade in 2007 and 2008.

Others have served along the U.S.-Mexico border, on homeland security missions starting just days after 9/11, and in other combat zones. Many in the unit have received commendations for outstanding valor and service, including Bronze Stars. “South Carolina should be proud of these warriors,” said Joe Medlin, command sergeant major for the 178th Engineer Battalion. “They are some of the most professional and dedicated soldiers I've seen.” Deployment of guardsmen affects not just soldiers, but the families left behind. Spratt pays tribute The Army National Guard unit from Fort Mill is on active training duty and could be sent to Afghanistan, according to multiple sources.

The 105 soldiers were activated for training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and expect deployment to Afghanistan, according to documents received by soldiers of the 1222nd Engineer Company based at the armory in Fort Mill. No dates, times or places for deployment have been confirmed, said Maj. Coral Dobson, executive officer for the six area armories in the National Guard 178th Battalion, but he confirmed the unit is preparing for deployment overseas. That preparation will include weeks of training as a unit at a military base before leaving the country. The unit specializes in construction and bomb demolition. “They are going to conduct mobilization training in preparation for possible deployment in support of the war on terror in the Middle Eastern Theater,” said Dobson, who served in Afghanistan in the last set of area National Guard deployments. ywysypj1030 Both National Guard spokesman Col. Pete Brooks and Dobson confirmed the company has been activated for training. The 1222nd Engineers, called the “Sappers,” are “currently alerted for possible deployment,” Brooks said. The pending deployment comes as President Barack Obama mulls how many additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan to augment the forces there. Brooks confirmed that the needs of the military in Afghanistan and the role of South Carolina's guard units have not been cemented as

The pending deployment comes as President Barack Obama mulls how many massage yiwu additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan to augment the forces there. Brooks confirmed that the needs of the military in Afghanistan and the role of South Carolina's guard units have not been cemented as political and military decisions remain unclear. Yet the potential deployment of local soldiers comes as casualties in Afghanistan have jumped in the last few months to the highest levels since troops were sent to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In October so far, 55 Americans have died in Afghanistan; 37 died in September and 51 died in August. No decision has been made to send the troops to Afghanistan or even deploy them beyond training, becaus

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e of the constantly changing situation concerning military needs within the Army and Department of Defense, Brooks said.