Military presence in South Carolina?

I'm considering colleges in South Carolina and I've heard there's a significant military presence there. Can anyone share more about the military branches and facilities that are based in South Carolina?

Sure, South Carolina has a rich history of military involvement and houses several important installations that serve multiple branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Here's an overview of the main military facilities:

1. Fort Jackson: Located in Columbia, Fort Jackson is the largest and most active Initial Entry Training Center in the U.S. Army, training around 50% of all soldiers and 60% of the women entering the Army each year.

2. Joint Base Charleston: Joint Base Charleston, established in compliance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendation of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, consolidates facilities of the Naval Support Activity and Charleston Air Force Base. This base supports a variety of missions for the Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Forces.

3. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island: On the southeast tip of the state, the Parris Island Recruit Depot is one of two Marine Corps recruit training bases in the United States. The base has been in operation since 1915 and turns thousands of civilians into Marines every year.

4. Shaw Air Force Base: Situated near Sumter, the base is home to the 20th Fighter Wing, the largest F-16 combat wing in the U.S. Air Force.

5. McEntire Joint National Guard Base: Near Eastover, this base is home to the 169th Fighter Wing of The South Carolina Air National Guard, which flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighter.

6. Naval Support Activity Charleston: Located in North Charleston, this base primarily provides facilities for the Navy, including a Naval Nuclear Power Training Command and a Naval Health Clinic.

7. Naval Hospital Beaufort: Located in Port Royal and provides general medical, surgical, and emergency services to all active duty personnel and retired members of the armed services.

There are also a number of smaller bases and installations, spread out across the state, that primarily support Army and National Guard training and operations. Each of these locations adds a significant military presence to their respective local areas.