Reactivated FL State Guard Seeks 400 Recruits For Hurricane Season

MADEIRA BEACH, FL — Following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' announcement last week that he is reestablishing the Florida State Guard, the newly appointed director of the emergency-focused civilian volunteer force is seeking up to 400 recruits.

DeSantis introduced retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chris Graham at a news conference in American Legion Post 273 in Madeira Beach, saying he plans to activate the state guard for the 2022 hurricane season.

“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,” said DeSantis, referring to the Biden administration's policy that all military members receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

DeSantis said the U.S. military is releasing members of highly trained elite forces who still want to serve,

"It's hurting good order and discipline when you marginalize people who have sacrificed for our country," DeSantis said. He is, therefore, offering them the chance to continue serving in the Florida State Guard.

He said the state guard because the National Guard isn't adequately manned.

“The bureaucrats in D.C. who control our National Guard have refused to increase the number of guardsmen despite our increasing population, leaving Florida with the second-worst National guardsman-to-resident ratio. We're 53 out of 54 states and territories for citizen-to-guard ratios," DeSantis said.

"We have hurricanes and other emergencies, and we saw an opportunity to provide response. The National Guard does a good job with hurricane and COVID response, but Biden can come in and pluck them out and send them anywhere in the world," DeSantis said. "We only have limited capacity at that point, so we thought it was important to expand that, and we thought the best way to do that is to reestablish something we had in the state for a long time, our own Florida State Guard."

Graham said, in 1958 when Florida had a population of fewer than five million people, the Florida National Guard had 12,000 troops, giving it a civilian-to-guard ratio of 375 residents for every guardsman.

Today, Florida’s population is nearly 22 million people and the resident-to-guardsman ratio has climbed to approximately 1,750 Floridians for every guardsman.

"In a natural disaster-prone state such as Florida with a potentially active hurricane season on the horizon, there is a clear and present need for a larger civilian emergency response force," he said.

According to the Florida National Guard, headquartered in St. Augustine since 1907, there are currently more than 10,000 Army National Guard personnel and more than 1,900 Air National guardsmen.

Unlike the Army National Guard, DeSantis said the Florida State Guard will be designed to help only Floridians.

"It will not be mobilized by the federal government, and the federal government cannot impose policies or penalties on the Florida State Guard," he said, noting this means no mandatory vaccinations.

DeSantis said Florida joins 22 other states and territories with state-level defense forces.

He joked that when he first announced the idea, some members of the national media made it sound as if he was proposing to raise a private army.

Actually, he said, at one time, most states had state guards. The Florida State Guard was disbanded in 1947 after the Florida Army National Guard was released from federal active duty following World War II and returned home.

Nevertheless, DeSantis said many states, including Florida, still have laws on the books allowing for the activation of a state guard.

He said the idea has proven more popular than he ever dreamed.

"We initially proposed $3.5 million to start it, but the interest was so significant that we actually ended up doing $10 million from the Legislature. We've already had over 1,200 people apply to join," he said, adding that those funds will be available July 1. "And I think because folks have been really excited about this, I think the $10 million we got is just the beginning. I think the Legislature is going to be looking to expand these slots next legislative session."

He said the guard will initially have 400 members, but he anticipates expanding it quickly because there are so many opportunities for the guard to be activated in Florida.

"We've had situations where hurricanes have hit in multiple parts of the state. Same thing when you had the prospect of rioting two years ago," he said.

Plus, there's a great deal of drug interdiction work that's needed in the state due to its proximity to the Caribbean and South America.

"We've got a big state. Some states just have one major urban area and the rest is all rural," he said. "We've got a lot of different areas, so you want to be able to support them all."

Graham said the guard is seeking Florida men and women between the ages of 18 and 60.

Among those especially encouraged to apply are skilled Floridians with emergency response, law enforcement or military training with demonstrated experience in military-style operations, emergency management, leadership and problem-solving, he said.

Graham, who lives in Destin, said he wants to make sure everyone who's interested in joining reaches out to apply.

Administrative staff will receive full-time salaries and, like the Army National Guard, guardsmen will receive stipends for training and deployment.

Those interested should click here.

"It's my goal in Florida that anyone who wants to help reaches out and applies," Graham said.

About The New Florida National Guard Director

Graham said he was thrilled when DeSantis announced the reestablishment of the state guard.

“Two months ago, I retired from the Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel after two decades plus of service, and, once I saw the opening to become the director of the State Guard, I decided that two months of retirement was all I needed,” Graham said. “This is an unbelievable privilege to reestablish and build from the ground up a modern state defense force. Florida will be joining 22 other states and territories with state guards, but we have an opportunity to break new ground and deliver a 10-fold investment for Floridians.”

A Florida native, Graham grew up in Miami and enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17. After enlistment, he graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor of arts degree and was then commissioned in the Marines.

Graham was temporarily assigned to the Coalition and Special Warfare Division, Counter Drug Branch. He went on to graduate from flight school in Pensacola and served as a helicopter pilot for approximately two years, flying CASEVAC missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Graham's assignments since include joint terminal attack controller in Operation Iraqi Freedom, founding member and task force commander of the Marine Corps’ full-time Antiterrorism Battalion in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and commanding officer of the 4th -3.

He eventually served as the commanding officer of 4th ANGLICO in West Palm Beach, which specializes in planning, coordinating and controlling fires in support of joint, allied and coalition forces.

During his tenure in the Marine Corps, he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Air Medal and the Commanding General Marine Expeditionary Force's Leadership Award.