Florida announces director of newly reactivated state guard

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s governor announced the first director of a newly reactivated Florida State Guard on Wednesday to bolster the state’s National Guard with a focus on responding to disasters in the hurricane-prone region.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said the director of the re-upped force would be retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chris Graham, an Iraq veteran and former intelligence and anti-terrorism officer.

“I think this unit has a particularly important mission,” Graham said at a news conference in Madeira Beach, Florida. “As Floridians, you guys know, the last hurricane’s behind us, the next hurricane’s on the horizon. Anything we can do to help, I want to help.”

Graham said he would also like the new force to contribute the state’s defense capabilities. He said there were 1,200 applicants already for 400 volunteer positions with a stipend for training sessions, but welcomed more volunteers to reach out. The Florida National Guard, in comparison, has about 12,000 members.

About half of the U.S. states have active defense forces under the sole authority of the state governments, including big states such as California, Texas and New York. Florida’s state guard was created in 1941 to backfill National Guard members deployed in World War II, but was disbanded in 1947.

DeSantis proposed to reactivate it three-quarters of a century later, and the Legislature this year authorized $10 million for that.

By NC ScoutPublished On: June 16, 2022Categories: Uncategorized2 Comments

About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

2 Comments

no June 16, 2022 at 09:22

If Desantis is really doing this its only to further the narrative that a national police force is required (to put down rogue States). Desantis wears the tiny hat. Not even because he has a claim to it ethnically…because he is a shabbos cuck.
DryCreek1976 June 16, 2022 at 22:11

Ron Desantis is the best current governor in the US. I’m proud to be born and raised in Florida. If you don’t like it keep your ass out of my state.