Florida Senate - 2014 (NP) SR 1650 By Senator Altman 16-02200A-14 20141650__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution honoring the men and women of the Florida 3 National Guard and recognizing March 11, 2014, as 4 “Florida National Guard Day.” 5 6 WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard, the military arm of 7 the Governor and the people of the State of Florida, stands 8 ready to immediately respond to a call from the Governor in 9 times of crisis or emergency, and 10 WHEREAS, tracing the roots of its citizen-soldier tradition 11 to the first militia units formed in 1565 to protect St. 12 Augustine, the Florida National Guard today boasts approximately 13 12,000 highly trained and skilled men and women who serve as 14 soldiers and airmen, and 15 WHEREAS, the men and women of the Florida National Guard 16 and their families willingly make sacrifices during times of 17 hurricanes, fires, floods, and other natural disasters, serving 18 domestically and around the world in contingency operations, and 19 WHEREAS, more than 17,200 men and women of the Florida 20 National Guard, without reservation, answered the call to 21 federal active duty following the attack on our nation on 22 September 11, 2001, and served with distinction and honor during 23 Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation 24 Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and other contingencies, and 25 WHEREAS, the honorable service of the men and women of the 26 Florida National Guard is truly an affirmation of the propriety 27 of the recognition they so richly deserve for their faithful and 28 successful service and for the well-placed trust of the 29 residents of this state, and 30 WHEREAS, the employers of the members of the Florida 31 National Guard and their family members have made significant 32 sacrifices in conducting their business during the absence of 33 key personnel and providing jobs for returning members, and 34 WHEREAS, the men and women of the Florida National Guard 35 participate in hundreds of community service projects across the 36 state each day while preparing for their federal duty, 37 protecting the residents of this state during emergencies, and 38 contributing to local programs that add value to this nation and 39 this state, NOW, THEREFORE, 40 41 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 42 43 That in honor of the significant contributions and 44 consistent readiness of the Florida National Guard and to 45 gratefully acknowledge the faithful service of its dedicated 46 soldiers and airmen, March 11, 2014, is recognized as “Florida 47 National Guard Day.” 48 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be 49 presented to Major General Emmett R. Titshaw, Jr., Adjutant 50 General of Florida, as a tangible token of the sentiments 51 expressed herein.