Veterans say they quit Ron DeSantis's State Guard because training became too militaristic. One recruit accused the guard of becoming "a militia," per the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times. DeSantis reestablished the Florida state guard in June 2022, promoting it as a civilian disaster relief force in a "natural disaster-prone state." Florida's State Guard was originally created in 1941 to support the Florida National Guard during World War II, but the unit was disbanded in 1947. Unlike the National Guard, which takes orders from the federal government, the State Guard is under the direct control of the governor.

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