Politics

State Defense Force – DeSantis Proposes to Reinstitute the Florida Guard

Radical leftists are screaming that DeSantis wants his “own personal militia,” after he announced his proposal for the Florida State Guard…which is really an SDF (State Defense Force). It would not be subject to Joe Biden and would be directly responsible only to DeSantis. It cannot be deployed by the Federal Government like the National Guard.

So is DeSantis just being an ego maniac? The left thinks so…

Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?

For information: neither of these Democrat yahoos know what they’re talking about…which is typical. They just want to paint Governor DeSantis with the brush of a dictator in spite of what he’s really trying to do. The Florida Guard was disbanded in 1947 after being used to assist Floridians during WWII. The new 200 member state defense force would be entirely voluntary, and be a support to the National Guard, especially should they be deployed. The Florida State Guard would assist with emergencies such as hurricane relief, etc.. No, they are not the Governor’s personal “secret police.” The new organization could also employ more veterans who need a place to continue their service to the community.

“We are proud of our veterans and active-duty military members and proud of what our communities do to support them,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida 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 – they will go a long way and have a meaningful impact. In Florida, we are going to continue our momentum of supporting our military, supporting our veterans and being good stewards of our military installations.”

“Gov. DeSantis’ budget this year is yet another example of his deep commitment to our Soldiers, Airmen, and residents of our state,” said Major General James Eifert, Adjutant General of Florida. “These 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…

The $3.5 million to establish the Florida State Guard will enable civilians to be trained in the best emergency response techniques.

Office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

The Governor’s press release stated the following budget information in his quest for a State Defense Force:

  • $87.5 million to expand the existing readiness center in Miramar and to establish three new armories in Homestead, Gainesville and Malabar;
  • $8.9 million for existing armory maintenance;
  • $2.2 million for a new headquarters for the National Guard Counter Drug Program;
  • $5.1 million to support Florida National Guardsmen seeking higher-education degrees; and
  • $3.5 million to establish the Florida State Guard. DeSantis press release

State Defense Forces (SDF) are allowed under Title 32 U.S. Code § 109 subsection (c).

In addition to its National Guard, if any, a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands may, as provided by its laws, organize and maintain defense forces. A defense force established under this section may be used within the jurisdiction concerned, as its chief executive (or commanding general in the case of the District of Columbia) considers necessary, but it may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces.

Title 32 U.S. Code § 109 subsection (c)

The Florida Guard would become the 23rd SDF according to DeSantis’ office. Under the Reagan administration, laws were created to allow states to form such forces outside of a wartime role. Reagan wanted every state to have one.

State Defense Forces have assisted in many disaster-related capacities, however. They augmented forces in support of Hurricane Katrina relief, especially in states surrounding Louisiana, to assist with the expected influx of refugees. In Texas, the SDF responds to local emergencies (like flash floods) that aren’t declared disaster areas but need help anyway. They provide security augmentees for regular military forces and provide emergency medical training to National Guard units and other areas of the U.S. military.

WeAreTheMighty

The State Defense Force is not without controversy, and there were sometimes idiots who wanted to corrupt them. But they can be an integral part of the disaster response in a state and an excellent support for the National Guard. The biggest problem DeSantis will have, aside from the leftist liars, will be the overwhelming amount of applications (Lee Williams).

H/T Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children

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Faye Higbee

Faye Higbee is the columnist manager for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. She has been writing at Conservative Firing Line since 2013 as well. She is also a published author.

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