A coalition of Republican Florida lawmakers led by Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) is calling on the Pentagon to increase Florida National Guard (FLNG) personnel.
“In the aftermath of Hurricane Isaias, we saw once again just how critical the Florida National Guard is to keeping our communities safe – but while Florida’s population has grown in recent years, the size of our National Guard has not kept pace,” Sen. Moody said. “That’s why I’m leading an effort to increase the number of Guardsmen allocated to our state.”
Reps. Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis (FL-4), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fl-26), Dr. Neal Dunn (FL-02), Randy Fine (FL-06), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Carlos A. Gimenez (FL-28), Mike Haridopolos (FL-08), Laurel Lee (FL-15), Cory Mills (FL-07), Jimmy Patronis (FL-01), and John Rutherford (FL-05) have joined the Senator in issuing a request letter to the Department of Defense.
53 Guardsmen Per 10,000 Residents
According to the letter, the FLNG has roughly 12,000 authorized personnel, compared to the state’s population of 23.5 million – roughly 53 guardsmen per 10,000 residents.
“Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, and the Florida National Guard have made clear that the Florida National Guard stands ready to grow,” the coalition wrote. “We kindly ask that the Department give Florida the force structure that is need to adequately respond to the missions assigned to them.”
Previous Efforts to Increase Personnel
FLNG leaders have previously raised concerns about their personnel.
In 2025, FLNG leaders met with local, state, and federal lawmakers to discuss expanding the force to meet future challenges.
Guardsmen Allotment is Outdated
According to DVIDS, the FLNG’s Guardsmen allotment is based upon 1958 population models. These models contained less than 5 million citizens in the state.
Recent Pew Research Center data, however, shows that Florida’s population has increased by over 400%, leaving the FLNG with a heavier operational load.
“We need to make sure they have the personnel and resources to continue answering the call,” Sen. Moody said.
