News and Press Releases for June 2006

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6/21/2006

Governor Visits S.C. Troops in Tikrit, Iraq

Governor to be Available Via Conference Call Today to Talk About Visit to Troops Fighting War on Terror

Columbia, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford today paid a surprise visit to South Carolina troops stationed in and around Tikrit, Iraq to express gratitude on behalf of all South Carolinians for our soldiers' roles in fighting the War on Terror.

During his visit to Tikrit, Gov. Sanford visited the 122nd Engineer Company, a combat support group headquartered in Saluda, with approximately 122 soldiers deployed, and the 111th Signal Battalion, a communications battalion headquartered in Greenwood with approximately 130 soldiers deployed and composed of companies from Hodges, North Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. More than 70 percent of the 10,000 South Carolina Army National Guard and Air National Guard soldiers have been deployed in support of the Global War on Terror since Sept. 11, 2001.

Gov. Sanford, joined by Governors Murkowski (Alaska) and Hoeven (North Dakota), were invited to visit with the troops by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The delegation began its six-day tour on Monday with classified briefings at the Pentagon regarding the War on Terror, the aims of al-Qaeda, and a review of current intelligence from the region. Following the briefings and tour, the group met with Secretary Rumsfeld and Secretary Rice. The governor's first stop was in Kuwait, where on Tuesday he attended a briefing with General George Casey.

At the request of the Department of Defense, Gov. Sanford's trip was not announced in advance. Further details of the governor's trip will be released at a later time.

Governor Sanford will be available via phone bridge today at 1:45 p.m. to discuss what he has seen and to answer questions from members of the media. To participate in the conference call, please call Joel Sawyer in the Governor's Office at 803-734-2100 for further instructions and details. Due to the limited amount of space on the phone bridge, media outlets are encouraged to utilize only one line each.