James Smith

I owe my life to my Brother Amin. I am thankful that @ChadKMills @wis10 shared the story of his courage, service & sacrifice. wistv.com/story/38995033…

Excited for our book talk and signing in Columbia next Wednesday, February 18, at ALL GOOD BOOKS. Hope you all can come!

Featured on Who’s On The Move: Entrepreneur Minute whosonthemove.com/entrepreneur-m…

From ours to yours, Merry Christmas!🎄🎁

@JackCarrUSA 80! Great ride everywhere....

Snow has arrived in Park City and the 80 Series looks right at home. What are you driving this winter?

Our hearts are with the West Virginia National Guard in the wake of the recent incident and subsequent loss of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. The South Carolina National Guard stands with the West Virginia Guard community and holds them in our thoughts and prayers. We ask for your continued prayers for Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe.

@goingslawfirm Happy Birthday Franklin!

Join us in celebrating Franklin on his birthday! Franklin is incredibly hardworking and always goes above and beyond for his clients and coworkers. Here's to another year! 🎉

I choose to remember en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clementa_…

RT @SCNationalGuard: South Carolina National Guard aircraft have completed 281 water drops, delivering approximately 264,900 gallons of wat…

@GilGatch So very sorry for your loss, Gil.

As many of you know, dad died in the early hours on Saturday morning. The Gatch Family would like to invite you to dad’s funeral on Friday, January 31st at Summerville Baptist Church located at 417 Central Ave. The viewing will be held at 1:00 PM in the church sanctuary followed by the funeral at 2:00 PM. The burial will be immediately after followed by a reception at my home. Flowers can be sent to Summerville Baptist Church.

From @NavalAcademy midshipman to @USMC hero: the McClung family is overwhelmed with gratitude to @SECNAV for naming the @USNavy's first Landing Ship Medium & entire class of ships after fallen Maj. Megan McClung. Indeed, Megan made history & her legacy will live forever! #BeBold

Operation Palmetto Warrior January 4, 2025

It all began on December 13, 1636. For 388 years the National Guard has stood ready to serve our communities, our nation and wherever we are called abroad. Trained and ready, YOUR National Guard is there. nationalguard.mil/About-the-Guar… #Guard388

Taking time today to remember the life of Maj. Megan McClung, the first female Marine Officer killed in the Iraq War and the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy to be killed in action since the school was founded in 1845. McClung was serving as a media relations officer with I Marine Expeditionary Force when a roadside bomb killed her instantly in Ramadi, Iraq, Dec. 6, 2006. She was a firm advocate for media coverage of the war and spent the morning escorting Fox News, before returning to the area with Newsweek journalists. The journalists, who were in another vehicle, were uninjured. McClung was a well known runner and triathlete. She competed in seven Ironman distance triathlons and organized the first Marine Corps Marathon (Forward) in Iraq to coincide with the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon. She served as the race director just weeks before her death. One of her most lasting legacies was a phrase she coined while preparing service members and senior officials for media interviews. Her headstone at Arlington National Cemetery is engraved with her mantra: "Be Bold. Be Brief. Be Gone." I never had the chance to meet Maj. McClung, but her legacy has been an inspiration for my life and career. Please take time today to remember this hero and pray for her family, friends, and fellow Marines. To learn more about the life of Maj. McClung, I encourage you to read this story: marines.mil/News/News-Disp… and @BeBoldBook by @TSileo.

Honoring Lt. Thomas Hudner, Jr. on the 74th anniversary of his Medal of Honor recognition. In 1950, he risked his life to save ENS Jesse Brown during the Korean War. Learn more about their incredible story in Devotion @DevotionMovie. #NMOHCFL

Our State.

@vincentsheheen Congrats @vincentsheheen and the citizens of @CityofCamdenSC

I am so, so honored to have been elected mayor of Camden yesterday. To my family, friends, and supporters I say- thank you! And to all my fellow citizens- I say we have exciting things to do together!! Can’t wait to get started!

Looking forward to introducing Vincent as MAYOR SHEHEEN on our next BITBR! Happy Election Day! #camden #southcarolina #bourboninthebackroom

@goingslawfirm Congrats Franklin!

Congratulations to Franklin McGuire on passing the bar exam! Franklin just received word that he passed the exam and will be formally inducted to the bar next month! We are so proud of him! See some of the many contributions Franklin has made to the Goings Law Firm already. 😜

Shortly, SFC Alwyn Cashe will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor after a long battle to get it upgraded from a Silver Star. Here is the story of his actions on October 17th, 2005.

@JackCarrUSA Happy National Book Lovers Day @JackCarrUSA ! Check out "Hell From The Heavens" by John Wukovits about the legendary @USSLaffey & her crew who fought at #DDay, and the Pacific. Known as the #ShipThatWouldNotDie for her historic fight 4/16/45 against 20 Kamikazes over 80 minutes!

Yes, today is National Book Lovers Day! My favorite day of the year! Today is on the calendar to encourage us to make a point of sitting down with a good book and reading the day away! Maybe gift a book that impacted you to a friend or share one with your children that you liked at their age. Looking for suggestions? I have quite a few book recommendations in the BLOG section of my website.
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If you’ve listened to any of my interviews you will know that I talk about books every chance I get. I’ve been a reader all my life. My mom was a librarian so I grew with a love of books, reading everything by David Morrell, Nelson DeMille, Tom Clancy, J.C. Pollock, Louis L’Amour, Marc Olden, A.J. Quinnell, Eric Van Lustbader, Ian Fleming, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, John le Carré, Jack Higgins, Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, and Stephen Hunter, along with a host of others. All that reading in my formative years provided my early education in the art of storytelling. All the while I was also reading non-fiction works on warfare, terrorism, insurgencies, counterinsurgencies, and the history of special operations. That reading and study combined with my experiences as a SEAL in Iraq and Afghanistan all came together to inform my writing as I transitioned out of the military.
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Celebrate the day by picking up a new book from your local independent bookstore, hitting the library, gifting a favorite book to a friend, or spending some time at a used bookstore searching for a hidden treasure. And be sure to read a special story to your kids tonight to share your love of reading with the next generation.
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Now, sit back, relax, and READ!
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What are you reading today?