FLC OF AN MLG CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED DEP ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA CAUSED BY A FLT OF 4 MIL F16 ACFT DSNDING THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. ATC HAD RPTED THE ACFT TO BE LEVEL AT 1000 FT ABOVE. HOWEVER; THE F16 FLT HAD CANCELED IFR AND WERE DSNDING VISUALLY ON THEIR OWN.

Narrative

DEPARTED CAE ENRTE TO CHS. WAS INSTRUCTED BY DEP CTL TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT. DEP POINTED OUT TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK AND LEVEL AT 11000 FT. IT WAS A FLT OF 4 F16'S AND ASKED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WOULD LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT; TO WHICH WE REPLIED WE WOULD LEVEL AT 10000 FT. WE DID NOT HAVE THE TFC IN SIGHT AT THIS TIME. SHORTLY AFTER THAT WE GOT AN RA ON THE TCASII TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AND COMMANDING A CLB. I CLBED TO APPROX 10400 FT AND THEN SAW THE 4 F16'S PASS APPROX 500 FT DIRECTLY BELOW US. THE CAPT TOLD DEP THAT WE CLBED THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT TO COMPLY WITH THE TCASII RA. THE DEP CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFLICT AND SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY SHAW AFB DID THAT. HE SAID THE F16'S WERE TALKING TO SHAW APCH AND THEY HAD CANCELED IFR. WHAT I THINK CAUSED THE PROB WAS 2 FACILITIES CTLING THE SAME AIRSPACE. WE WERE TALKING TO COLUMBIA DEP WHILE THE F16'S WERE TALKING TO SHAW APCH. AS A RESULT; WE COULDN'T HEAR THEM CANCEL IFR AND START A VFR DSCNT. AS A RESULT; MY REACTION TIME TO COMPLY WITH THE RA WAS INCREASED BECAUSE I GOT CONFLICTING INFO FROM DEP AND THE TCASII. I THOUGHT THE TFC WAS LEVEL AT 11000 FT AND TCASII WAS INSTRUCTING ME TO CLB BEYOND 10000 FT.