S.C. State Guard raises money with 'Boots on the Ground' campaign

South Carolina's state Legislature recently named May as National State Guard Month, and to help raise money for the S.C. State Guard, the organization is having a "Boots on the Ground" campaign fundraiser this month.

"The S.C. State Guard is a volunteer force," Pvt. First Class Dwellion Howard of the S.C. State Guard Public Affairs Office said.

According to Howard, these volunteers help with things such as search-and-rescue operations, medical treatment, legal services, chaplain and counseling services, engineering, supplies distribution and military funeral honors.

In 2018, the nearly 1,000 members of the State Guard volunteered a total of 90,000 hours of service.

The S.C. State Guard is not fully funded by the federal government like organizations such as the National Guard and International Guard.

"We get some funding from the government, but we have to do some on our own," Howard said. "We're a state organization of the S.C. Military Department, not the federal government."

Howard said many people mistake the State Guard for other military organizations.

"When people see folks in uniform, they sometimes mistake us for the National Guard or International Guard," he said. "(However), we do work closely with them. In many cases, we're the first boots on the ground; June is Hurricane Awareness Month, and the State Guard are some of the first folks there (to respond to hurricanes)."

The S.C. State Guard's goal is to raise $350,000 this month for training, equipment and other necessities volunteers would normally have to pay for themselves.

People are encouraged to donate at participating establishments by donating a minimum of $1. This will get you a cutout of a boot, upon which you can write your own name or the name of a loved one and display it in the establishment for the rest of the month.

You can also donate online at scsgmops.org or donate on the State Guard's Facebook page, @SCStateGuard.

"It's a big initative," Howard said. "We intend to do this annually."

For more information, visit http://sg.sc.gov/newsroom/?p=387 or call or email Howard at (864) 630-0563 and dwellion.howard@sg.sc.gov.