Florida Gov. DeSantis to reestablish WWII-era Florida State Guard

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to reestablish a World War II-era civilian military force similar to the National Guard – controlled by the governor of Florida and not the Pentagon.

The Florida State Guard would provide additional support for “emergency response efforts in the event of a hurricane, natural disasters and other state emergencies,” DeSantis explained in a press release.

Florida’s 200-member volunteer force would cost taxpayers $3.5 million in order to “enable civilians to be trained in the best emergency response techniques.”

According to the governor’s office, 23 states have an established state guard that is recognized by the federal government.

“We are proud of our veterans and active-duty military members and proud of what our communities do to support them,” DeSantis said. “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,” he added. “In Florida, we are going to continue our momentum of supporting our military, supporting our veterans, and being good stewards of our military installations.”

In a press conference, DeSantis noted that the force would be able to provide support "in ways that are not encumbered by the federal government." 

There is one key difference between the proposed Florida State Guard and the National Guard, however: vaccination mandates. Although Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently ordered all military personnel to be vaccinated, members of the Florida State Guard would not face such a mandate, the Washington Examiner reported.

"Florida law prohibits all of our state and local government entities from requiring their employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination," said Christina Pushaw, the governor's spokeswoman. "More broadly, Florida law protects jobs and workers’ rights by prohibiting employer vaccine mandates in the private sector as well. Biden’s CMS mandate and OSHA mandate, covering healthcare and private-sector employers, respectively, have been blocked by courts. However, Biden’s DOD vaccine mandate is still in place, as is the federal employee/federal contractor vaccine mandate."

Recruitment for the Florida State Guard would not begin until funding is allocated by the Florida legislature, whose next legislative session begins in January. Should funding be allocated, the state would begin the process of reestablishing the state guard next year.