WHY HAVE A STATE GUARD?
Currently, 23 states and the territory of Puerto Rico actively maintain state guards.
State guards are authorized under Title 32 of the U.S. Code and operate distinctly from the National Guard. They are state-funded, responsive to the Governor and focused on the needs of their home state.
The 23 states that currently maintain a state guard are Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
partnering with the national guard
Funded at the state level, the Florida State Guard partners with the Florida National Guard and other disaster response agencies to respond quickly and ensure that communities are provided with humanitarian assistance and disaster response services they desperately need. The Florida State Guard is able to stay longer than the National Guard, at the discretion of the Governor, to provide humanitarian and disaster response services over a greater period of time—allowing the National Guard to return to other duties. The two forces complement each other.
permanently based in florida
The Florida State Guard is permanently based in our state, which allows us to respond to manmade and natural disasters quickly.
PROVIDING RAPID RESPONSE BY FLORIDA, FOR FLORIDA
Surrounded on three sides by water, Florida is a disaster-prone state with active hurricane seasons, wildfires, tornadoes, floods and more. The Florida State Guard is proud to offer a volunteer response during times of manmade or natural disasters. Because we were made by Florida, for Florida, considerations like funding and the allocation of resources are solely at the discretion of Florida leadership.
