678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
| 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade | |
|---|---|
678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade | |
| Active | 2016-present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | National Guard |
| Type | Brigade |
| Role | Air defense artillery |
| Part of | 263rd AAMDC, SCARNG |
| Garrison/HQ | Eastover[1] |
| Mottos | For Freedom, We Defend[2] |
| Mascot | Oozlefinch |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an Air Defense Artillery Brigade of the South Carolina Army National Guard and the United States Army.
The 678th ADA Brigade is the newest Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade (BDE) in the Army National Guard. Headquartered in Eastover, South Carolina, the brigade has two subordinate battalions, 1-178th FA (Paladin) and 2-263d ADA (Avenger) located across the state. The 678th ADA BDE is a subordinate unit of the 263d Army Air & Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) which is headquartered in Anderson, South Carolina.
Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion 178th Field Artillery Regiment, were sent to Washnigton DC in December 2025. Three hundred plus soldiers (many of whom volunteered to join the mission) went to Washington, D.C., in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. There, they will assist the Metropolitan Police Department in maintaining public safety for residents, commuters, and visitors throughout the District.
Organization
- 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base[3]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base
- 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment, in Georgetown (M109A6 Paladin)[3]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment, in Georgetown
- Battery A, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment, in Andrews
- Battery B, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment, in Clinton
- Battery C, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment, in Manning
- 1178th Forward Support Company, in Hemingway
- Detachment 1, 1178th Forward Support Company, in Myrtle Beach
- 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Anderson (AN/TWQ-1 Avenger)[3]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Anderson
- Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Seneca
- Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Easley
- Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Clemson
- Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Clemson
List of Brigade Commanders
| Commander | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| COL Frank Rice | May 2014 | May 2016[4] |
| COL Richard Wholey | May 15, 2016 | April 6, 2019 |
| COL Michael Gibson | April 6, 2019 | April 2, 2022[5] |
| LTC Brooks Yarborough | April 2, 2022 | April 1, 2023 |
| COL David Ridgeway | April 1, 2023 | November 17, 2024[6] |
| COL Larry Saunders | November 17, 2024 | Present |
References
- ^ South Carolina National Guard - Units
- ^ 678th ADA Brigade Heraldry Archived 2016-12-04 at the Wayback Machine, The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH), 1 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
- ^ a b c "Annual Report Fiscal Year 2023" (PDF). South Carolina Military Department. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ Astorino, Derek. "678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducts change of command ceremony". Defense Video Imagery Distribution System.
- ^ "678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducts change of command ceremony – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducts change of command ceremony – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance". Retrieved 2024-11-19.
External links