Madeira Beach - Wednesday June 15, 2022: This year's Florida state budget provides $10 million for the re-activation of the Florida State Guard, an emergency-focused civilian volunteer force that will include 400 members. More than 1,200 people have already expressed interest in joining. The Florida State Guard will provide disaster relief support to Florida Residents in the event of hurricanes, or other health or natural disasters.
Unlike the Florida National Guard, the Florida State Guard is trained and funded by the state and therefore can not be federalized. It is available to the governor of Florida whenever needed.
During a news conference Wednesday in Madeira Beach Governor DeSantis announced the appointment of retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Chris Graham who will serve as the Director of the Florida State Guard.
"By reestablishing the Florida State Guard under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Graham, we have a great opportunity to expand our capability to help people in times of need or disaster," said the Governor.
The State Guard was originally created in 1941 to serve as a stateside replacement for the Florida National Guard that was deployed abroad during World War II. It was disbanded in 1947 after the Florida Army National Guard was released from Federal Active Duty.
Graham retired from the Marine Corps in April after more than two decades of service. “This is an unbelievable privilege to reestablish and build from the ground up a modern state defense force," said Graham. "We have an opportunity to break new ground and deliver a 10-fold investment for Floridians.”
By bringing back the Florida State Guard, Florida now joins 22 other states and territories with state-level defense forces. Other states have laws on the books allowing for the activation of similar Guard Units.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Florida Guard or volunteering to serve can visit: flsg.myflorida.com.
Florida has one of the most understaffed National Guards in the nation. Out of 54 states and territories, the Florida National Guard has the second worst resident to guardsman ratio.
Since 1958, the Florida National Guard has had 12,000 troops. At that time, Florida had fewer than 5 million people and the civilian to guard ratio was 375 residents for every guardsman. Today, Florida’s population is nearly 22 million people and the resident to guardsman ratio has climbed to approximately 1,750 Floridians to every one guardsman.
About retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Chris Graham, Director of the Florida State Guard
Graham grew up in Miami and enlisted in the Marine Corps. at age 17. After enlistment, he graduated from Auburn University with a B.A. and was then commissioned in the Marines. Graham was then temporarily assigned to the Coalition and Special Warfare Division, Counter Drug Branch. He then graduated from flight school in Pensacola and served as a pilot for approximately two years, flying CASEVAC missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 1.
Graham then served as Joint Terminal Attack Controller in OIF-2 before being selected to serve as a founding member of the Marine Corps.’ full-time Antiterrorism Battalion in which capacity he was deployed as Task Force Commander to OIF-3. He ultimately served as the Commanding Officer of 4th ANGLICO in West Palm Beach. Graham retired from the Marine Corps. Reserves just a few weeks ago as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Over the course of his military service, he received the following awards:
• Purple Heart, June 2005
• Navy Achievement Medal (V), May 2007
• Navy Commendation Medal (V), March 2006
• Air Medal (V), April 2005
• The Commanding General, Il Marine Expeditionary Force's (MCA) Leadership Award for 2005