Florida just goes harder…
The Florida State Guard’s Camp Blanding Joint Training Center just welcomed new members for a 24-day training cycle “designed to equip volunteers with the skills, discipline, and readiness to serve Florida when it matters most. Alpha and Bravo Companies completed administrative in-processing and medical screenings before moving into barracks, with cadre setting the standard from day one.”
The Florida State Guard’s Camp Blanding Joint Training Center
Say what?
Yup, while just about every state and territory authorizes a local defense force outside of the National Guard and Reserves, just 19 states and Puerto Rico have active ones, with the Sunshine State’s Guard, which traces its origin to 1941 (it numbered 2,100 men during WWII), as among the largest and best organized.
M1917-armed Florida Defense Force Personnel at U.S.O., Jacksonville. 1942. Spottswood Studio Collection. The Florida Defense Force, later known as the Florida State Guard, was formed in 1941 and numbered 2,100 men in 36 units two years later.
Benefitting from $10 million in annual funding from the state and access to surplus equipment from the DOD/DOW, the current FSG is authorized at 1,500 drilling members but only has about 1,000 on the rolls (hence the new recruit classes).
Authorized to wear UCP-ACUs and state markings to include a Florida flag shoulder patch, the FSG has a Crisis Response Battalion, a Maritime Response Squadron, an Aviation Response Squadron with two Bell 412EPs (N402TL and N77TL) helicopters, two surplus UH-1Ds (N205FS, N207FS ) two surplus UH-60As (N70K and N898VH), three Textron T206Hs (N152BF, N760CS, and N6384J) a Beech B300 (N5055J), two Cessna 206s; and an armed Special Missions Unit.
Florida State Guard Crisis Response Battalion
Florida State Guard Crisis Response Battalion Fat Trucks
Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron
Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron with UH-1D N205FS
Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron, note the Gator flash on the Huey
Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron
Florida State Guard UAS team
Florida State Guard Maritime Response Squadron Metal Shark 300 PQS
Florida State Guard Maritime Response Squadron
Florida State Guard Maritime Response Squadron
Florida State Guard Maritime Response Squadron Metal Shark 300
Florida State Guard Maritime Response Squadron Metal Shark 300 PQS
Even with air and marine assets, the FSG is separate from the Florida Naval Militia (formed in 1897 and dormant since 1941) and the 3,800 volunteer-strong Florida Wing of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol.
Should every other state emulate Florida?
It would not be that bad of an idea. If you extrapolate its 23.6 million population, a similar unit along state per capita lines in all 50 would yield a combined 23,000 volunteers on a comparably shoestring $150 million budget, and provide a genuine civil backup to the often-deployed National Guard and Reserve.
True homeland security– not at the call of the President.
Food for thought.