McENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina's Air National Guard F-16 unit is taking over a new homeland defense mission to ward off airborne threats in the southeastern United States.
Guard spokesman Maj. James Roth says South Carolina Adjutant Gen. Robert Livingston and Maj. Gen. Garry Dean of the 1st Air Force will speak at Friday's ceremony and christen a new hangar for the unit.
Air crews stand by around the clock to take to the skies in their fighter jets should a threat to the nation arise in the region. The mission is being taken over from active duty forces at nearby Shaw Air Force Base.
The unit at McEntire Joint National Guard Base operates about two dozen F-16 Fighting Falcons.
State, Air Force Air National Guard, F 16 Fighter Jets, South Carolina, Deployment, Iraq.
