S.C. State Guard to conduct “capability exercise”
August 10, 2016
Legislators, business leaders, and participant-families invited to training-recruiting event
COLUMBIA, SC – The S.C. State Guard’s 1st Brigade will conduct a capability exercise (CAPEX) at the National Guard Armory in West Columbia this Fri., Sat., and Sun. Part of the State Guard’s annual response-preparation workups, the CAPEX takes place less-than eight weeks from the one-year anniversary of the disastrous rain-and-flood event (Hurricane Joaquin) which struck the Palmetto State in Oct. 2015.
“I have directed each of our three brigades to conduct at least one such exercise annually in addition to all of our other training throughout the year,” says MG Tom Mullikin, commander of the S.C. State Guard. “We do this in order to meet, measure, and exceed our readiness requirements in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.”
The 1st Brigade (based in the Midlands) will be supported by elements of the 2nd Brigade (in the Upstate) and the State Guard’s special operations units. The 3rd Brigade is based in the Lowcountry.
The 1st Brigade CAPEX will become the template for all other brigade-level exercises.
“The mission of the State Guard is to be ready on short notice to serve and protect the citizens of S.C.,” says COL Chuck Shields, deputy commander – Operations. “The training we conduct this weekend, coupled with all the other training on our annual training plan, will insure we are prepared to meet any and all missions.”
The exercise will feature CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training, as well as wilderness search-and-rescue operations training and rope-rescue skills training.
In addition to State Guardsmen, training participants will include 16 other fire units and first-response teams totaling 60-plus non-State Guard trainees (the State Guard is hosting the event). Invited guests include Richland and Lexington County legislators, business leaders, and families of participants.
The CAPEX begins Fri., Aug. 12, at 5:00 p.m. and will conclude Sun., Aug. 14, at 3:00 p.m. A swearing-in ceremony of newly recruited State Guardsmen and a barbeque dinner (free of charge) will follow the CAPEX. The CAPEX will be held at the S.C. National Guard Armory, 3528 Platt Springs Road, West Columbia, S.C., 29170.
[For more information about the S.C. State Guard, “Professionals serving South Carolina,” visit http://www.sg.sc.gov/ or phone (803) 299-4238.]
