Identity of Lexington Guardsman Killed in Afghanistan Released

The identity of a second Columbia guardsman killed in Afghanistan was released Thursday afternoon by the South Carolina Army National Guard.

Spc. John David "JD" Meador II, 36, of Columbia was killed in Khost City, Khost Province, Afghanistan, when his patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber.

According to Meador's Facebook page, he is a 1994 graduate of Lexington High School and is the owner of Southeast Woodworks.

In addition to Meador, , and were killed in the attack.

"These men died serving their country and I want to expresses my deepest sympathy and condolences to their families, who are the unsung heroes of our war effort," said Maj. Gen. Robert E. Livingston, Jr., the state’s Adjutant General. "These deaths are grim reminders that our Military, to include the South Carolina National Guard, is still in active combat in defense of our country. We are privileged to have such heroes in our midst.”

Five guardsmen also were wounded in the attack, according Livingston.

All eight soldiers are assigned to the 133rd Military Police Company, headquartered in Timmonsville.

The mission of the 133rd MP Company in Afghanistan is to train members of the Afghan Uniformed Police in Khost Province. The unit deployed 170 soldiers to Afghanistan in November 2011 and is scheduled to return home this August.

With these latest fatalities, 16 members of the South Carolina National Guard have died in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2003. The most recent combat fatalities were in October 2010, when two soldiers from the 1221st Engineer Company were killed by an IED.