Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is looking to create a new civilian military force.
In a press release issued Thursday, DeSantis announced āmore than $100 million in funding proposals to support Floridaās National Guard and establish the Florida State Guard, a civilian volunteer force that will assist the National Guard in state-specific emergencies.ā
The budget proposal includes $3.5 million for the Florida State Guard. DeSantis said in a statement, āWe are proud of our veterans and active-duty military members and proud of what our communities do to support them.ā
He added, āFlorida is one of the most veteran friendly states and I think there are very few places that you would rather be on duty than in the state of Florida. As a veteran, I really appreciate what everyone who wears the uniform does in our state and am excited about these proposals ā they will go a long way and have a meaningful impact.
DeSantis explained the state is going to ācontinue our momentum of supporting our military, supporting our veterans and being good stewards of our military installations.ā
Adjutant General of Florida Major General James Eifert argued the governorās budget āis yet another example of his deep commitment to our Soldiers, Airmen, and residents of our state.ā
He continued, āThese investments will help us maintain our readiness, enabling us to continue to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. We simply cannot thank the governor enough for his ongoing leadership and dedication to our Guardsmen, and we look forward to proudly continuing our 456-year legacy of service to this great state.ā
According to the press release, the Florida State Guard would further support emergency response efforts, including in the case of a hurricane, national disasters and other emergencies.
Additionally, the $3.5 million will āenable civilians to be trained in the best emergency response techniques.ā By establishing the civilian military force, Florida will become the 23rd state with a state guard recognized by the government.