Florida Sen. Tom Wright has filed a symbolic measure for the upcoming Legislative Session urging Congress to examine current National Guard staffing levels and increase its force.
The Port Orange Republican has filed such “memorial” legislation before, in 2022. This year’s iteration reminds state lawmakers the work the Florida National Guard does during natural disasters that have bludgeoned the state in recent years.
The Senate Memorial legislation (SM 314) is a resolution urging Congress to keep the National Guard properly funded and staffed in the Sunshine State.
With about 23 million residents, Florida is the third most populous state in the union, yet ranks 53rd among the 54 U.S. states and territories in proportionate National Guard personnel, the measure reminds. With 12,000 guardsmen in the Florida National Guard, the staffing ratio is just one guardsman for nearly every 2,000 residents. Wright said current staffing levels would be appropriate for the state’s population in 1958, not for today’s much higher population.
Wright said his ultimate goal is to ensure the Florida National Guard is adequately staffed, especially considering the service has been mobilized several times in recent years for natural disasters.
“My primary focus with this memorial is to ensure the safety and security of Floridians, particularly given our state’s vulnerability to natural disasters. Florida has faced the fifth highest number of declared emergencies over the past 70 years, and we must be adequately prepared to respond to these challenges,” Wright said in a news release.
Wright added the federal government is long overdue for a staffing review for the National Guard.
“By urging Congress to reexamine the force structure and resource allocations for the Florida National Guard, this memorial advocates for the resources needed to better equip our state to handle a range of challenges,” he said. “This memorial is not about any one particular issue the state may face, but about being adequately prepared for any circumstance that may necessitate the activation of the Florida National Guard.”
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