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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Joint Chiefs of Staff will have to make room for one more member.

Thanks to the efforts by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the National Guard now has a permanent seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff; a historic milestone for the Guard.

Its part of a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Obama. The Guard's senior officer will now be able to give advice to the president along with other military advisors.

Senator Graham said the advancement will lead to better decision making when it comes to military operations.

"Having the National Guard Bureau Chief sitting at the table as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will allow the president and his active duty colleagues to understand the condition of readiness of the guard."

Since 9/11, the National Guard has been deployed overseas. Around 11,000 South Carolina troops have spent time in action.