The Miami Herald reported that military veterans are dropping out of the Florida State Guard after learning that they were preparing for military work. Given DeSantis’ authoritarian instincts, many critics were concerned that he might use it for illegitimate purposes.
When the first recruiting class of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new Florida State Guard showed up for training last month, they had varied experiences and expectations.
Over 30 days in June, teenagers out of high school and retired military veterans came to Camp Blanding, the National Guard base near Jacksonville.
Many were told they would volunteer for a revived State Guard with a non-military mission: help Floridians in times of need or disaster.
Instead, the state’s National Guard trained the volunteers for combat. Khakis and polos were replaced by camouflaged uniforms. Volunteers assured they could keep their facial hair were ordered to shave. And they were drilled on how to rappel with ropes, navigate through the woods and respond to incidents under military command.
When DeSantis announced in 2021 he wanted to revive the long-dormant State Guard, he vowed it would help Floridians during emergencies. But in the year since its launch, key personnel and a defined mission remain elusive. The state is looking for the program’s third leader in eight months. According to records reviewed by the Herald/Times and interviews with program volunteers, a number of recruits quit after the first training class last month because they feared it was becoming too militaristic.
Weeks into that inaugural June training, one volunteer, a disabled retired Marine Corps captain, called the local sheriff’s office to report he was battered by Florida National Guard instructors when they forcibly shoved him into a van after he questioned the program and its leadership…
In a statement, Haas said the State Guard was a “military organization” that will be used not just for emergencies but for “aiding law enforcement with riots and illegal immigration.”
“We are aware that some trainees who were removed are dissatisfied,” Haas said. “This is to be expected with any course that demands rigor and discipline.”
Three former members told the Herald/Times the program veered from its original mission.
“The program got hijacked and turned into something that we were trying to stay away from: a militia,” said Brian Newhouse, a retired 20-year Navy veteran who was chosen to lead one of the State Guard’s three divisions. The original leadership team envisioned a disaster response team of veterans and civilians with a variety of practical skills, according to Newhouse. Two other former military veterans, who asked not to be named for fear of potential consequences and later quit, expressed similar concerns over a change in the State Guard’s mission.
The Florida legislature gave DeSantis $10 million to hire and train 400 members of the state guard. Unlike the National Guard, which can be called up for federal duties, the state guard answers only to the governor.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article277245833.html#storylink=cpy
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article277245833.html#storylink=cpy
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article277245833.html#storylink=cpy
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is the type of local control that appeals to modern conservatives. It was the type of local control that b led to lynching in a much more cruel America during the last half of the 19th century. I speak here of the southern lyncherdom (Twain’s words), but also of the country that had its own lynchings. In the Great Plains during that same period, cultures were wiped out, ending the period of indigenous extermination. In labor disputes, striking workers often confronted private armies hired by industrialists as well as state and national guard troops who shot at the workers.
This 19th century zeitgeist is marching back in various forms today, thanks to the ability of big money to purchase political leaders who are unresponsive to the people who elected them. One example comes from the water issues in the dry southwest. In Arizona, a person owns the water under his property due to state law. Presently, we are allowing anyone with money to buy property there and raise crops using the aquifer under it, despite the obvious fact that the aquifer is spread out over many property lines. Big oil money from Saudi Arabia has acquired many acres where they grow alfalfa hay that is then shipped back to Saudi Arabia for cattle and horses there. Republicans sanction this in Arizona, preaching the gospel of me. The acceptance of the me makes society waste resources on the few.
So how does this relate to the days of lynching? To put it simply, the only way the few can dominate the many is to pit the people against each other. The only way the modern Republicans can rule is to make enough of the electorate fear the rest of us to vote for political people who act against the interests of the very people who voted for them. They hide these acts behind rhetorical flourishes aimed at the “other,” but their support for money over good public policy lays bare their real intent. Just as the country tolerated lynching in 1890, our country tolerates modern outrage directed at gays, immigrants, Muslims, and —————.
We will not get through this until big money is removed from the process.
LikeLike
Correction:
“In labor disputes, striking workers often confronted private armies hired by industrialists as well as state and national guard troops who shot at AND KILLED workers.
LikeLike
While I have seen estimates of the number of people lynched during that time, I have never seen an estimate of the number of deaths due to confrontation between strikers and owners’ armies.
LikeLike
Roy,
Start here to learn about those killings:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worker_deaths_in_United_States_labor_disputes
LikeLike
DeSantis is a modern day tin-pot dictator. He has a huge sense of self importance. Since he rarely tells the truth about his intentions, this story is unsurprising. There is generally a disparity between what he says and what he does. Florida has sent over a thousand Florida National Guard including some state troopers and Florida fish and wildlife members to patrol the border in Texas. He is also spending more than $10 million on this stunt to make himself appear like a strong potential presidential candidate, but it’s not working. He is also sending planes and drones thanks to Florida taxpayers and unused Covid cash. For someone that always accuses the federal government of overreach, he has no problem stepping on the authority of the federal government.https://apnews.com/article/florida-texas-national-guard-desantis-986db9ff82c92e49890173ab4b
LikeLike
At what point will Floridians realize that DeSantis is wasting a ton of their tax dollars on these projects toward autocracy. Oh yeah, this is Florida…never mind…
LikeLike
At what point will Floridians realize that DeSantis is a wannabe Hitler? He may be 5’11” but he still has a Napoleon complex. But look what happened to Hitler and Napoleon in the end.
LikeLike
Mussolini didn’t end well, either. He was strung up upside down from a street lamp, if I recall correctly.
LikeLike
Not really pertinent, but Napoleon was most likely of average height. British propaganda tried to depict him as small, but, due to differences in the definition of an inch, he was probably near 5’5”, about average for his day. This was plenty tall enough to fire grapeshot into a royalist rebellion, which got him a start under the Directory
LikeLike
Exactly.
Not for a long, long time
LikeLike
In other words, another contingent of black shirts or brown.
LikeLike
Paul, you got it. DeSantis’s private militia.
LikeLike
His SA
LikeLike
“…another contingent of black shirts or brown.”
My reaction, too.
LikeLike
I was reminded of the privatization of parts of the military during the Iraq war. A sort of subcontracting of military intervention. Sort of like Putin’s merry band that just turned on him (or did they?)
LikeLike
If these were real, if it weren’t a false flag, Prigozhin would be dead.
LikeLike
Read some weird stuff today about Wagner group training Belorussian soldiers. There are thoughts of an attack on Poland, according to whatever I was reading. Of course it was on some internet source, probably unreliable. Pirgoat has not been heard from. Makes me think Putin will Trotsky him some day.
LikeLike
I’m leery of most reporting on this war. I find it curious that Putin reportedly met with Prigozhin a few days after his “coupe” attempt. Although much of this war has debunked the strategic “genius” of Putin, I can’t help but wonder if this was one way to distract Ukraine from the business at hand. If Putin is so good at pushing people out of windows, why hasn’t this happened to Prigozhin? I think these two mafioso’s continue to see a use for one another. Another thought is that Prigozhin may be the more Stalin-like of the two.
LikeLike
LikeLike
The beatings will continue until morale improves. Got it.
LikeLike
I think Dictator DeSantis wants his own private army just like Putin had until The Wagner Group had enough casualties and abuse from Russia’s regular military and they rebelled (Although, I wonder if what Prigozhin is really doing is pretending to rebel to help Putin discover who his biggest threats are so he can have them tossed out of high-rise windows.)
There is a difference: DeSantis wants a fascist army that will do his bidding. Putin is only the godfather of mafia godfathers in a country ruled by gangsters.
There is also a similarity. Both DeSantis and Putin are on shaky ground. While DeSantis may still be a popular fascist autocrat in Florida, his poll numbers are dropping across the country similar to the whispers that say Putin may flee Russia or end up dead any day.
LikeLike
Trump reportedly had numerous conversations with Erik Prince, Betsy Devon’ brother, about aa privatized military force. I think Desantis would love that opportunity.
LikeLike
Annnnddd here is the Hypocrisy again. Folk who make a lot of fuss about ‘Federal Government’ imposing its will on people and limiting liberties, doing exactly what they accuse others of doing.
(Actually in old school European Cold War political activities DeSantis is adapting the mindset of the standard solid Communist leader loyal to Moscow- State control of voting, educations, militarisation of the law and order forces (sarcasm warning) – Yep it makes me quite nostalgic for the old days.
Roger.
UK
Born 1951
LikeLike