General Spears is a native of

Clover, S.C. He graduated from

the University of South Carolina

in 1959 and enlisted in the South

Carolina Air National Guard,

where he served for two years. He

was then commissioned in the Army

National Guard through Palmetto

Military Academy and served for

more than 30 years, reaching the

rank of brigadier general. He was

then elected adjutant general in

1994 and led the South Carolina

National Guard for 16 years.