Florida National Guard | |
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![]() Seal of the Florida National Guard | |
Active | 1861–present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Type | Joint |
Role | Federal Reserve Force State Militia (Militia Act of 1903) |
Size | Approximately 12,000 Soldiers and Airmen. |
Garrison/HQ | St. Augustine, Florida |
Commanders | |
Commander-in-Chief (Title 10 USC) | President of the United States (federalized) |
Commander-in-Chief (Title 32 USC) | Governor of Florida |
Adjutant General | Major General John D. Haas |
Assistant Adjutant General – Army | Major General Robert G. Carruthers, III |
Assistant Adjutant General – Air Force | Brigadier General Richard L. Coffey III |
Command Senior Enlisted Leader | Command Sergeant Major James B. Kendrick |
The Florida National Guard is the National Guard force of the state of Florida. It comprises the Florida Army National Guard and the Florida Air National Guard.
The United States Constitution charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. Ordinarily under the control of the state government (in which the governor is the commander-in-chief) pursuant to Title 32 of the United States Code, National Guard troops may also be called into active federal service with the United States Army or the United States Air Force (in which the president serves as commander-in-chief) and deployed worldwide with their active duty Army and Air Force counterparts.
The Florida National Guard, like those of other states, provides trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization in case of war or national emergency. Guardsmen may take part in functions ranging from limited actions in non-emergency situations to full-scale law enforcement (martial law) in cases when the governor determines that ordinary law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is "to provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law." The Florida National Guard serves as the state's "defense force".
Florida currently has a State Defense Force (SDF), reactivated as of 2022. During World War II, the Florida State Guard served as the official state defense force of Florida, and was organized as a stateside replacement for the Florida National Guard and executed the stateside duties of the National Guard for the duration of the war.[1] National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.