Local, state, and federal officials gathered at the Jacksonville Air National Guard Base on August 15, 2025, to discuss plans for expanding the Florida National Guard (FLNG). The meeting brought together county commissioners, state representatives, federal congressmen, veterans' affairs officials, and Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins. This assembly marked a unique effort to address the state's need for a larger National Guard force.
“We have never had a meeting like this where we have county commissioners, state representatives, federal congressmen, veteran’s affairs and even the Lieutenant Governor in the room at the same time to discuss this issue,” said Col. Jason Hunt, FLNG director of external affairs and commander of the 83rd Troop Command. “Our opportunity for growth has never been better than now, because the Army and Air Force are restructuring what unit composition looks like. We need to capitalize on that and get our troop-to-citizen ratio more in line to better assist Floridians.”
Currently capped at 12,000 members, the FLNG is responsible for both federal missions and supporting disaster operations for Florida's population of over 23 million. As one of the most disaster-prone states in the country, Florida frequently relies on its National Guard for rescue efforts and rebuilding after emergencies.
“Since COVID, Florida National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have conducted over 3.3 million work days in support of state emergency operations,” Hunt said. “That’s over three times as many work days in the 28 years prior to COVID.”
The size limit for the FLNG is based on population models from 1958 when Florida had fewer than five million residents. Since then, Florida's population has increased by more than fourfold and is now considered the fastest growing in the nation according to data from Pew Research Center (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/18/the-fastest-growing-states-in-the-u-s-are-in-the-west-and-south/).
With this rapid growth comes greater demand on Guardsmen. On average, an FLNG member serves 106 days per year—nearly triple the federally required minimum.
“If anyone looks at the population numbers in Florida and the ops tempo of our National Guard, there’s no comparison anywhere,” said Congressman John Rutherford of Florida’s 5th congressional district. “That’s why we have to do whatever is required to get the positions our state needs. We can’t ask our Florida Guardsmen to fight with one hand tied behind their backs.”
Maj. Gen. John Haas, Adjutant General of Florida and commander of FLNG, stated that Florida is prepared to increase its Guard numbers if given authorization.
“Our Soldiers and Airmen are here because they love what we do. They support our federal obligations, but they truly love our state mission,” said Haas. “We have a recruitable population base that is larger than 28 states, and our propensity to serve is unlike any other state. We can fill the ranks if we receive the authorization.”
Florida Senator Tom Wright expressed similar views.
“We have 12,000 fantastic men and women serving the state in our Florida National Guard now, but we also have lots more people who would love to serve alongside them, so we’ve got to figure out how to get more slots for our Guard,” Wright said. “We know the needs of our state will only continue to grow, and I don’t want to be the guy sitting in front of his constituents answering for why we didn’t do everything we could to get more Guardsmen for Florida.”
A study by the National Guard Bureau found that adapting force structure according to demographic trends is important for maintaining recruitment levels and readiness.
Haas emphasized concerns about having too few personnel available during emergencies but noted assistance agreements with other states can help supplement local resources when needed.
“Put simply, the best people to serve the citizens of Florida are Florida Guardsmen,” Haas said. “The FLNG has set the standard for disaster response with far less troops and equipment than are actually needed to support our citizens. Imagine the impact we can have with a force that better matches our population size.”
Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins added his support.
“I’ve seen what the Florida National Guard can do, and it’s amazing,” said Collins. “But the world is a difficult place, and it’s only getting more and more complex. We know we are going to continue to call upon the Florida National Guard, and what we ask of them is very real. So we’re not going to be afraid to take big swings or do what has to be done to solve these problems, because we have to take care of our Guardsmen so that they can take care of us.”