(AP) -- Maj. Gen. Stanhope Spears is hanging up his uniform after four terms as South Carolina's adjutant general.
During his 16 years in office, the 73-yearold two star general oversaw repeated National Guard deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Spears says South Carolina's forces have evolved with the nation's military, becoming a fast and mobile force that could respond to terrorism overseas with engineer, military police and transportation units.
He says the guard has been able to maintain quick-response forces to deal with hurricanes on the home front.
Spears relinquishes command to Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston in a ceremony Sunday. Livingston was elected the state's top military officer in November.
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