Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled the Florida State Guard and introduced the first director.
This from en-volve.com.
Gov. Ron DeSantis unveils the Florida State Guard and introduces the FSG’s first director. https://t.co/QCMBytFzRM
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 15, 2022
DeSantis declared:
The U.S. military has been kicking out great service members over the Biden administration’s unacceptable COVID vaccine mandate, and they are even targeting members of the National Guard.
The Governor added:
The bureaucrats in D.C. who control our National Guard have also refused to increase the number of guardsmen despite our increasing population, leaving Florida with the second worst National Guardsman to resident ratio.
By reestablishing the Florida State Guard under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Graham, we have a great opportunity to expand our capability to help people in times of need or disaster.
This unit has a particularly important mission.
Anything we can do to help, I want to do to help.
This unit functions as a state defense force also and we will function in any regards in that aspect also.
We have 1200 applicants for 400 positions but I want to see anyone that wants to be on Governor DeSantis’s team to be able to help.
Final thought, questions: Will other Red states follow this example? And, if so, how quickly? Governor DeSantis is establishing a Florida State Defense Force with a current budget of $10M and a voiced intention of expanding.
With a maturing structure in place, an expanding budget and manpower as part of the plan, and a developing mission, how quickly could this State Guard become a capable fighting force?