Name | National GUARD [2] | |
Gender | Male | |
HIST | Sumter's National Guard deploys 49 to Kuwait Brig. Gen. Van McCarty, right center, speaks to soldiers from the 351st Aviation Support Battalion on Saturday following the deployment ceremony. PHOTOS BY COLLYN TAYLOR / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Tuesday, June 9, 2015 6:00 am BY COLLYN TAYLOR INTERN@THEITEM.COM About 50 soldiers from Sumter's National Guard 351st Aviation Support Battalion are being deployed to Kuwait to help fight terrorism in the Middle East. The National Guard held a deployment ceremony at the Sumter National Guard Armory on Saturday for the 49 soldiers who shipped out on Sunday to prepare for service in the Middle East. In the room there was a mixture of emotions ranging from excitement to serve the country to sadness at family members being left behind. "You're excited, but you're also a little scared for those that haven't been before," Sgt. Jimmie Elliott said. "Since I've been and come back, I told them there's nothing to worry about." Elliott has completed one tour already to Kuwait, and he said going abroad gave him a great travel opportunity, and he got to see the world. Despite that, he still said leaving family can be difficult. "For me, it was a little hard the first time because I had a child who wasn't even 1 yet," he said. "But at the same time you have these new things like Skype and everything. It was a great communication thing so I was able to see them and talk to them every day. It wasn't that bad after all." The standard deployment, according to Brig. Gen. Van McCarty, is close to one year, with nine months being spent overseas. Before those being deployed go to Kuwait, they will go to Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, for a few weeks to finish their training. In Kuwait they will join the 150 troops that deployed from Sumter in February. They will all be part of an aviation support group, maintaining, repairing and fueling different military aircraft. While their mission is to repair aircraft, however, McCarty said the mission could change based on different needs. "You don't know where you're going and for sure what you'll be doing," he said. "You can have a mission, a plan to accomplish that mission, but it's all subject to what the needs of the Army are based on the time and the theater of operation you're in. The calming thing is you have your battle buddies there with you." When the ceremony concluded, families gathered around the soldiers they were saying goodbye to. Some were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters or uncles. And with each group of people, the reactions were different; some were crying, others taking pictures, and one soldier was playing and laughing with his children. "It's a lot different for a lot of people," Sgt. Dustin Ramage said. "It's sad, but I'm always happy to go and do what I have to do. But for them I know it's hard. The best thing is to keep together and keep in touch with everybody." Ramage had his mother, Kathy Ramage, and sister, Tiffany Truluck, along with his father, girlfriend and nephew at the ceremony. He is being deployed for a fourth time, and his mother said she's cried about all of them, but knows as soon as he gets settled overseas, he'll be OK. Truluck said this deployment is harder on her because her husband recently passed away. "My brother has always been there, so there's an empty void, but it gets easier," Truluck said. As the 49 soldiers get ready to leave for Kuwait for a year, they had one night left with their families before leaving Sunday morning. As they prepared to go out, McCarty had some advice for the families. He said to plan things during the deployment to keep their minds busy and take each day one at a time. "You realize this is just a part of the process we go through now in support of the nation's fight on the global war on terrorism," McCarty said. "You want to recognize and make sure the families understand their loved ones are well trained and they're going in under good leadership." Kathy Ramage echoed that, saying that taking the situation one day at a time will make it easier. "The first one was really bad, it was like the world almost came to an end, but we made it through that," she said. "The next one got a little easier, but I'm hoping this one, he goes over there and it's going to be fast and he can come back." S.C. National Guard Sumter Armory reopens after much-needed renovations began in 2020 U.S. Army National Guard soldiers with Headquarters Support Company, 351st Aviation Support Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, South Carolina National Guard conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated South Carolina Army National Guard Readiness Center on April 25 in Sumter. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Van McCarty, the adjutant general for South Carolina, attended the event joined by Sen. Thomas McElveen, second from left, and Rep. Murrell Smith, third from left, the 59th ATC command team and members of the Sumter community. PHOTOS BY U.S. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOUTH CAROLINA SGT. FIRST CLASS ROBY DI GIOVINE Posted Thursday, April 28, 2022 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com It's been a long time coming for Sumter's National Guard soldiers to see renovations to its North Pike Road West facility. On Monday, the soldiers of Sumter Armory held a ribbon cutting for the reopening of their facility that has been under construction since October 2020. The Sumter Armory, located at 395 N. Pike Road West, next to Dillon Park, is the headquarters building for Headquarters Support Company (HSC) of the 351st Aviation Support Company for the South Carolina Army National Guard. According to 351st Command Sgt. Maj. Marc Steele, the building's upgrade was much needed since HSC first moved into the Sumter facility in 2006, after it replaced the 3rd Battalion 178th. He recalled soldiers strategically placing trash cans to collect rain water dripping from the leaky roof, the floor's damage from the flooding and the outdated kitchen needing repairs and a fresh coat of paint. "Got to feed the soldiers," Steele joked, stressing the kitchen's renovation was a priority. In total, the renovations included a new roof, fresh coat of paint, new flooring, an updated kitchen area, repaved parking lot and more. The upgrades turned soldiers into nomads as they waited for the project to get finished, Steele said. During the one-and-a-half-year time gap, the local National Guard members were stationed at other South Carolina National Guard bases, requiring equipment and soldiers to be moved around as needed. moving equipment and soldiers around. However, it turned out to have a positive outcome. "As challenging and trying as it's been at times," Steel said, "it's gotten us closer as a unit." "We've all kind of taken the burden and ran with it, but I think it made us all grow closer because of it." Monday's ceremony had a full crowd in the newly-renovated Readiness Center. Music was provided by the Crestwood High School band, and the color guard was performed by the Lee Central High School Army ROTC. In attendance were Maj. Gen. Van McCarty, the adjutant general of South Carolina; Col. John McElveen, of the 59th Aviation Troop Command; Lt. Col. Robert Wells, of the 351st; and many more from the community and state. Sen. Thomas McElveen and Rep. Murrell Smith attended the ceremony as guests. Smith spoke on behalf of the Sumter County Legislative Delegation, and said they were impressed by the changes made to the building he remembered long before it hosted HSC in 2006. "I remember I moved to Sumter in 1977, and this Armory was here in 1977. And believe it or not, we would have birthday parties here and things of that effect way back when," Smith said. "A few months ago, I guess last year, I was invited by the adjutant general to come out here and to attend a training day and view the armory." Walking in on Monday, Smith said it was a whole different building. "I said, 'Is this the same place I visited a year ago?' And it looks just tremendous in the improvements and the modernization," Smith said. "In Sumter, we have the phrase 'Uncommon Patriotism.' In South Carolina, you hear us talk all the time about wanting our goal to be the most military friendly state in this union." The way to earn that title is by working with the Pentagon, passing laws that benefit the military and retired veterans and putting Sumter on that map for funding, Smith said. Ten to 15 years ago, he said, there was little-to-no funding being allocated for the South Carolina National Guard like there should have been. To see it finally flow into Sumter and improve the quality of life for the local and state soldiers was what Smith was most proud of. "It is an honor to be a part of this. It's an honor to be a part of funding and making sure that we're providing top notch facilities," Smith said. "Today is Sumter's day, and I'm proud to be a part of it." [1, 2] | |
_UID | EB57539E377A45858C5DFD066C4FD55B8523 | |
Person ID | I301851 | Singleton and other families |
Last Modified | 12 May 2022 |
Family | Guard NATIONAL | |
_UID | 0839A1051CDC4B1A80EBF510BE060EDD6300 | |
Last Modified | 2 Mar 2024 | |
Family ID | F202346 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Sources |