5 The temperature was 17 degrees Fahrenheit in Forward Operating Site Torun, Poland, when the 50th Regional Support Group (RSG), a Florida Guard unit based in Homestead, Florida, arrived on Feb. 9, 2021.
The 50th RSG is in Poland to support the European Deterrence Initiative as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve by providing management and base operations support at various forward operating sites throughout the country, and a great deal of preparation went into its arrival.
Army Col. Ricardo Roig, 50th RSG commander, gave his Soldiers the first heads-up for this deployment in late 2019. A little over a year later, the 50th RSG’s deploying Soldiers had successfully completed numerous inspections, training sessions in contracting, online classes, battle drill rehearsals, certifying validation exercises, and two, 21-day annual training periods back-to-back, all while having approximately 80 percent of the unit on active duty as part of the Florida Guard’s COV
Thursday s Daily Pulse | 2/11/2021
White House looks at domestic travel restrictions as COVID mutation surges in Florida
The Biden administration is considering whether to impose domestic travel restrictions, including on Florida, fearful that coronavirus mutations are threatening to reverse hard-fought progress on the pandemic. Outbreaks of the new variants including a highly contagious one first identified in the United Kingdom, as well as others from South Africa and Brazil that scientists worry can evade existing vaccines have lent urgency to a review of potential travel restrictions within the United States, one federal official said. [Source: Miami Herald]
A pandemic plus: Florida suicides plummeted. Experts worry it won’t last
Florida National Guard continues pace after unprecedented year
In 2020, guardsmen were activated for COVID-19, civil unrest and hurricane missions.
Â
Â
Soldiers with the Florida Army National Guard support Feed Tampa Bay in their efforts to distribute food to the local community on May 12, 2020 as part of their COVID-19 response. [ U.S. Army Photo by Pvt. 1st Class Orion Oettel ]
Published Feb. 10
Early in 2020, Sgt. Joseph Huling, 25, figured the Florida National Guard might be called to help in some way with the emerging coronavirus.
He eventually served on a COVID-19 mission for a month
setting up a testing site in Miami-Dade County, went back to drills, deployed to Washington for about 10 days to respond to civil unrest and went back last month for another 10 days to help with security for the presidential inauguration.
By ILEANA NAJARRO | Tampa Bay Times | Published: February 10, 2021
Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See other free reports here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Tribune News Service) Early in 2020, Sgt. Joseph Huling, 25, figured the Florida National Guard might be called to help in some way with the emerging coronavirus. He eventually served on a COVID-19 mission for a month setting up a testing site in Miami-Dade County, went back to drills, deployed to Washington for about 10 days to respond to civil unrest and went back last month for another 10 days to help with security for the presidential inauguration.
SHARE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. As the Florida National Guard prepares to intensify its role in setting up mobile COVID-19 vaccination sites around the state, the size of its ranks is becoming a concern.
What You Need To Know
Size of Florida National Guard force a concern with COVID, storms looming
The state has about 12,000 soldiers, one of the leanest forces in the nation
The guard is key to Florida s vaccination strategy
Lawmakers could consider an increase for the Guard in budget plans
In a state that is home to about 21 million people, the Florida National Guard is a force of about 12,000 soldiers. That staffing ratio ranks it among the leanest of America’s Guard corps.