Title: Florida National Guard

Summary: Urges Congress to impel United States National Guard Bureau to examine resource allocations of Florida National Guard & allow increase in its force structure.

Full Text:
WHEREAS, with approximately million residents, Florida is the third most populous state in the nation but has a force structure of just over 12,000 Guardsmen, and its ratio of one Guardsman for every 1,833 residents ranks 53rd amo ng the 15 states and territories of the United States which have a National Guard component, and WHEREAS, due to the unprecedented events of 2020 and 2021, including COVID response in addition to natural disasters and overseas deployments, the Florida National Guard expended the same number of workdays in months as it had expended during the previous years, and WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard continues to meet its mission goals; however, the shortage of these invaluable "citizen soldiers," co mbined with the state's growing population WHEREAS, the United States National Guard Bureau's report, "Impact of U.S. Population Trends on National Guard Force Structure," released to Congress in April of 2021, acknowledges the aforementioned concerns within Florid a and other regions, stating, "...the National Guard may need to evaluate re allocating mission sets to other geographic areas to keep pace with changing demographics across the country," NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: That the Florida Legislature respectfully urges the United States Congress to impel the United States National Guard Bureau to examine the resource allocations of the Florida National Guard and allow an increase in its force structure. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State dispatch copies of this memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the Florida deleg ation to the United States Congress.