S.C. National Guard troops return from Afghanistan

By Jan A. Igoe - jigoe@thesunnews.com

More than a dozen members of the American Legion Riders from Murrells Inlet are expected to join a ride to Darlington S.C. Army Reserve National Guard Armory Thursday to welcome S.C. National Guard troops returning from Afghanistan.

About 150 troops, who are part of the 218th Infantry Brigade, are returning to Darlington, Fountain Inn, West Columbia and North Charleston today, according to retired Lt. Col. Terry O'Connor, who remains in charge of the guard reintegration program until June. The troops spent about a year overseas and three to six months preparing for the war. About 1,500 brigade troops are expected to return by summer.

"We're getting blocks of about 150 to 250 coming in. We can't bring all those guys in at one time," O'Connor said. "They go to a demobilization station like Fort Stewart. It gets them a little bit more ready to return to civilian life."

Veteran support groups, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, try to greet every returning veteran to thank them for their service, but late notice and weekday schedules sometimes impede welcome-home receptions.

"We were asked to post our color guard at Darlington Armory," said Bob Duncan, director of the American Legion Riders Post No. 178, who will make the two-hour trip to Darlington.

"The problem is, a lot of people work. We're not all retired. Anything on a weekday holds us back in strength."

As a Vietnam veteran, Duncan is one of many supporters who want to ensure that future combat vets receive the hero's welcome that he says his generation missed out on.

"When they came back from Vietnam, they were cussed out and spit on," said Tommy Jones, a Patriot Guard Rider area representative. "Never again will they come home and not be welcome."

Patriot Guard Riders will escort troops returning from Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., from South of the Border to Darlington Armory at 764 Harry Byrd Highway in Darlington.

For more information, call Jones at 206-6158 or visit www.patriotguard.org.

Contact JAN A. IGOE at 626-0366.