Members of the South Carolina National Guard are deploying to Texas to join in the effort to help secure the U.S. border with Mexico. The National Guardsmen will bring aerial surveillance helicopters and support crews to help Border Patrol agents in interdicting illegal border crossings.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced on Friday that his state is sending two UH-72A Lakota helicopters and a dozen soldiers to join the nearly 750 Texas National Guard troops who are working to support Border Patrol efforts to secure the border, the Greenville News reported.

“The highly trained men and women of the South Carolina National Guard are ready and able to support President Trump’s mission to secure our country’s border, and our entire state is grateful for their service and sacrifice,” Gov. McMaster said.

The guardsmen are members of the 2-151 Security and Support Aviation Batallion and are based in Greenville County, South Carolina. The unit is comprised of 175 soldiers, four Lakota helicopters, and six Chinook helicopters, officials stated. – READ MORE