As the next class of recruits prepares for boot camp, the head of the Florida State Guard said he is ready to ramp up recruitment efforts.
Mark Thieme took over as director of the Guard last October.
Nearly five months later, he told News 6 he’s ready to quickly expand the Guard’s numbers.
“What makes the Florida State Guard so important is — by statute — we’re the only agency that has a statutory responsibility and obligation to provide crisis and emergency management responsibilities across the entire portfolio of what those other agencies do,” he said. “So, we are able to provide ground, air, and maritime crisis and emergency response capabilities to boost the abilities of the Florida National Guard when they need it, to boost the capabilities of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Fish and Wildlife.”
Reviving the Florida State Guard
Gov. Ron DeSantis resurrected the Florida State Guard in 2022 after a nearly 70-year hiatus.
A News 6 investigation revealed the Florida National Guard’s own records show they have capped the number of troops at 12,000 since 1958, which resulted in Florida ranking 53 out of 54 states and territories when it comes to the number of troops per capita.