Tasked as a state defense force , the State Guard 's primary overarching mission is to be prepared to protect and , when called into service by the Governor , protect the citizens and property of the state and uphold the laws of the state . Units are occasionally sent out of state by order of the Governor , as in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks , after Hurricane Katrina and during the Mexican-American War in the mid-1800s . The State Guard is essentially the modern-day continuation of the South Carolina Militia , which has been in existence in some form since before the United States of America became a sovereign nation . The State Guard is composed of non-conscript volunteers , many of whom are veterans of the federal armed services ; the federal military reserves , South Carolina Army National Guard , or South Carolina Air National Guard
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
South Carolina State Guard