The Department of Military Science is chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Lewis E. "Buck" Buchanan. He served as an enlisted soldier until he received a direct commission to Captain in 1981. During his military career Lieutenant Colonel Buchanan flew over four thousand military flight hours in addition to 1000 instructor hours. He piloted a wide range of military helicopters prior to his current assignment as the Professor of Military Science at the University of South Carolina. In addition to his military achievements Lieutenant Colonel Buchanan was awarded a Bachelors Degree in Business from Chaminade University in Hawaii in 1977 and a Masters in Public Administration from the Bloch Business School at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1991. He can be reached via email at
Assistant professors of the Department of Military Science include Lieutenant Colonel Thomas C. Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel John H. Brooks, Major Patrick D. Murray, Major Sharon M. S. Jacobs and Captain Sondra J. Voithofer.