HM 4005 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hm4005-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Memorial 1
A memorial to the Congress of the United States, 2
urging Congress to impel the United States National 3
Guard Bureau to examine the resource allocations of 4
the Florida National Guard and allow an increase in 5
its force structure. 6
7
WHEREAS, the number of soldiers and airmen allocated to 8
each state's National Guard, known as its "force structure," is 9
determined by the United States National Guard Bureau in 10
Washington, D.C., and 11
WHEREAS, with approximately 21 million residents, Florida 12
is the third most populous state in the nation but has a force 13
structure of just over 12,000 Guardsmen, and its ratio of one 14
Guardsman for every 1,833 residents ranks 53rd among the 54 15
states and territories of the United States which have a 16
National Guard component, and 17
WHEREAS, due to the unprecedented events of 2020 and 2021, 18
including COVID-19 response in addition to natural disasters and 19
overseas deployments, the Florida National Gua rd expended the 20
same number of workdays in 18 months as it had expended during 21
the previous 20 years, and 22
WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard continues to meet its 23
mission goals; however, the shortage of these invaluable 24
"citizen soldiers," combined with the state's growing population 25
HM 4005 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hm4005-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
and increased need for National Guard activation and response, 26
has resulted in the repeated deployment of the same soldiers, 27
which ultimately leads to excessive stress and fatigue and 28
negatively impacts recruitment, retention , and readiness, and 29
WHEREAS, the United States National Guard Bureau's report, 30
"Impact of U.S. Population Trends on National Guard Force 31
Structure," released to Congress in April of 2021, acknowledges 32
the aforementioned concerns within Florida and other regions, 33
stating, "...the National Guard may need to evaluate re -34
allocating mission sets to other geographic areas to keep pace 35
with changing demographics across the country," NOW, THEREFORE, 36
37
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 38
39
That the Florida Legislature respectfully urges the United 40
States Congress to impel the United States National Guard Bureau 41
to examine the resource allocations of the Florida National 42
Guard and allow an increase in its force structure. 43
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State dispatch 44
copies of this memorial to the President of the United States, 45
the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 46
United States House of Representatives, and each member of the 47
Florida delegation to the United States Congress. 48