Here is a transcript of Episode 10 Of Commanders Briefing:
Jean Marciniak:
Welcome to Commander’s Briefing. In this special episode, we have a former Florida State Guard non- commissioned officer Daniel Pepin, who’s coming on the show to talk about his experiences in the Florida State Guard.
Jean Marciniak:
Welcome on the show. Daniel. Thank you for coming on and talking about your experiences in the Florida State Guard. Before the show, we were talking about you originally enlisted in the United States Army.
Daniel Peppin: That is correct, yes.
Jean Marciniak:
Oh, so did you serve active duty reserve?
Daniel Peppin:
I served first with the Reserve for about four years. I deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait around that time. When I got back from deployment, I requested a conditional release to active duty, and I was granted that in 2017, and I served with Active duty Army until my medical discharge out from in 2022.
Jean Marciniak:
Wow, okay. Wow. And then you were in the reserve, you were in the reserves as well, you were mentioning?
Daniel Peppin:
Yes, that is correct. I was in a reserve unit in West Palm Beach, Florida
Jean Marciniak:
Beach, Florida. So I’m going to piggyback off that. Is that probably a little bit of an inspiration to join a Florida State Guard? You were in uniform and still wanted to serve a little bit.
Daniel Peppin:
Yes. In that capacity? That’s correct. I think I would say the last maybe two to three years of my service before I got out, I was pretty heavily involved in the historical and reenactment community, and one thing that did pop up a lot was the Florida State Guard and what it did during the time of World War ii. So it kind of really brought my interest in wanting to know how the whole thing was going to work. And loosely was tracking the reactivation of the Florida State Guard that I believe his name was Jim Stevens was kind of like, he was the guy that basically was trying to hallmark the reactivation. And I think up until, I believe it was 2021 or 2022, when finally Governor Ron DeSantis decided he wanted to bring back the Florida State Guard. And then that’s when I was pretty hooked on it now after that, but I would say that would be my reasons.
Jean Marciniak:
Oh, okay. Yeah, no, I can totally understand. A lot of people that serve on active duty or a National Guard want to continue serving, but for job commitments or medical family commitments, want to stay in the state.
Daniel Peppin:
Yes, absolutely. Yeah.
Jean Marciniak:
So talking about the Florida State Guard, so was Jim Stevens part of the Florida Department of Military? Were they part of a different organization?
Daniel Peppin:
Not officially. I believe Jim Stevens was a guy that expressed a lot of passion in wanting to reactivate. I know he was heavily involved in the process to pitch the Florida State Guard to the government. He’s been doing it since, I believe he was probably doing it since when Rick Scott was also in office too. But time and time again, nothing came up of it. It just kind was a back burner issue. And I guess up until when Governor Ron DeSantis became governor, I think from there something must have sparked an interest with the state of Florida. And now the Florida State Guard now became an idea that now this government wants to have, and there’s a good reason to it as well. This was something that we were told in bootcamp where, and I hope I’m getting this right, but they said that we are, Florida is one of the states with the lowest number, national Guard Soldiers per citizen ratio. I believe it was like one National Guard Soldier per 100 citizens is how they look at it. And I think we ranked about, was it 53 or 54, including the US territories. I’m including in that alongside the states. I believe that’s what we were told during the bootcamp, which makes sense. I agree with it completely where they were coming from in that situation.
Jean Marciniak:
Yep. Yeah, you’re totally right about that. I was watching one of the legislature’s sessions and they did mention that exact thing. Yeah, yep. You’re a hundred percent. So I guess he reached out to you. I’m kind of curious about what was the processing administration side? Did you have to come in, do a criminal background check? Well, similar to the US Army when you joined.
Daniel Peppin:
Yeah, it was kind of similar, but I wouldn’t say it wasn’t too stringent in comparison to the Army. So basically what happened was they had an older website that was popped up at the time. Once the Florida State Guard was brought up. I did my application, I believe within a month or two or more later, I did receive correspondence from a National Guard lieutenant from, I believe it was St. Augustine, and he inquired that they selected me to attend bootcamp and that they required a few documentations that was needed in order for me to qualify. Most of the stuff was kind of like your typical, if you’re applying for a job or a job like this, you need a background check, you need a urinalysis for drugs, you need just that specifically. And then also it followed up with a few documentations that the Florida State Guard also gave. It was like the, it’s their oath that they have as well with
Jean Marciniak: Oh, okay.
Daniel Peppin:
Yeah, it was their oath. They also had rules of engagement. They had Rules of engagement,
Daniel Peppin:
Rules of engagement in regards to the bootcamp orientation, not like in the combat perspective of rules of engagement. And then there was a voluntary agreement that we had to sign, a social media background authorization. We also had to sign and fill out. And also as typical, which this one makes sense a lot too, the U-S-C-I-S form I nine for employment eligibility verification, which just to verify, I believe if we are a citizen of Florida and of the United States, but preferably United States.
Jean Marciniak:
Oh, okay. I’m just curious. Citizens are only allowed to, because I know in the US military, you don’t have to be a citizen to join. Do you have to be a citizen to join the Florida State Guard
Daniel Peppin:
From what was gathered during bootcamp? And what I’ve heard from my colleagues that were there prior to when I got there, yes, you had to be a United States citizen. I believe they had one person at bootcamp that was not, he was a great guy from what I was told, but since he didn’t have that citizenship, he wasn’t able to qualify and move further through the training.
Jean Marciniak: Ah, okay.
Daniel Peppin: Yes.
Jean Marciniak:
I guess that leads me to basic training. I know you went into US Army basic training. So you got the most advanced training on this side of the hemisphere, possibly in the world to become a soldier. How was basic training in the Florida State Guard? How long was it?
Daniel Peppin:
So I will say this, I wasn’t there for the full four weeks of basic training. So from last year’s basic training, they had a thing where if you were non prior service like military or law enforcement specifically, you basically had to do the whole four weeks of the bootcamp training, prior service LE and all that were able to come in the last two weeks of the training is what they were doing from last year’s bootcamp. I do not know if they’re doing that to this current bootcamp right now. I believe they are not. But that’s kind of how they did it. And as far as what I’ve seen gathered by the pictures and information from my colleagues, they for the most part did a pretty good, actually a very well good crash course of basic training, very well condensed for a four week training schedule alongside other training that we were done that would specifically be tied towards the Florida State guards such as emergency management, water rescue, and CPR First Aid and more so in the civilian side of that kind of matter.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. So very similar to other state defense force training, so like medical search and rescue kind of thing. Was there firearms training?
Daniel Peppin:
Yes. Well, I wouldn’t consider it firearm training, like real firearm training, but we did actually have access to what we call as an EST 2000 or an electronic simulations training. Electronic simulations training, where basically we would utilize an M four or an M nine, basically just like a real weapon, but it was hooked up to an air system that you can aim at a electronic screen that you would fire at targets or scenarios, which we used in the Army specifically for before we go to the range, just kind of pop up on marksmanship skills and just kind of have that ready before we go to the actual range. So that’s kind of what it was.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay, interesting. Where was the basic training held for the Florida State Guard? Is it at the capitol or
Daniel Peppin:
Camp Bland? Camp Bland. It’s located in the city of Stewart.
Jean Marciniak: Okay.
Daniel Peppin: Yes,
Jean Marciniak:
I think I know where that is. So I got to ask, I know you said because you’re prior service, you had pretty much all the knowledge already. You weren’t there for the full four weeks, but for the weeks that you were there, how was basic training? Was it similar to the Army where you have drill sergeants with the campaign covers, shouting, doing physical discipline, hitting the quarter deck kind of things?
Daniel Peppin:
No, not really. Nothing in that kind of perspective For basic training in the actual army, it was more so we had national guard cadre, very well experienced. I’ll say. They were the ones that were pretty much, they ran all the basic living requirements for the bootcamp stuff, for the barracks administration to ensure that the troops are fed, transported, and given medical care if needed. Basically all the needs that normally need to be required in a bootcamp scenario like this. But as far as drill sergeants, as far as any of that measure, it was not in that capacity. There wasn’t really any yelling. The bootcamp, a lot of the guys there were, they’re adults. A lot of ’em are prior service, especially the ones that came in in the last two weeks. So yelling wasn’t really required, but there was still a sense of urgency when it came to training. There was that level of, Hey, we need to get this done. We can’t daddle, but we were all treated respectfully and we were given that courtesy that a lot of us who were veterans would be given specifically in this kind of training since we’ve already been there and done that, if that makes sense.
Jean Marciniak:
That’s interesting. Okay. I’m kind of curious, was there, I know in bootcamp you can’t leave the barracks or the base. You’re pretty much stuck in your own, I forgot what we called it back then, not the quarter deck, but your own company. I’m not going to say hallway, but barracks. Was it kind of like that? Or did recruits have freedom of navigation? Can they go off base, things like that, hit the PX kind of thing?
Daniel Peppin:
Yes. What it was, the barracks are, as they also called the squad bay, we were set up basically racks or beds were on each side of the building. Some of them would double, would’ve bunks, and some of ’em would just be single beds. That’s kind of how it was set up right there. PX runs were there. We were allowed to utilize them if we needed to purchase equipment that would be necessary for training or if we needed to get a haircut or if we wanted to get a snack or two, just for energy sake just to have it. And then, I mean, there were also rules and requirements to limit what we would use, what we would bring to the barracks, such as food to keep cleanliness in the living area.
But yeah, I would say as far as getting off base, unless it was an emergency requirement, yeah, it was very minimal. I believe by the last week or the last few days of training, there was a little bit of leeway where some guys with supervision from the cadre were able to leave base and pick up stuff from, I believe in Stewart. There ain’t much there. I think it’s like there’s a Walgreens or a CVS there, or I mean something on that measure. But that’s as far as it went, as far as going off base. But I will say, just to make this point, that even though the rules did say that you cannot leave base, while in that training, we did have a few people, they decided, Hey, I am no longer interested in wanting to continue this training.
I’m going to leave. And they were free to leave or they were free to leave. There was no restriction on that. But I think a lot of them that did do that should have went through the proper chain of command, say, should have talked with the people there saying, Hey, I don’t think this is for me. I’m going to give you guys my stuff back. Here’s everything. I appreciate the time, but this is not for me. But a lot of them did express that courtesy such as myself, but a lot of them decided they were just going to leave in the middle of the night and so on. I guess if that would make sense.
Jean Marciniak:
That kind of leads me to my next question. So what made you, you left during this initial entry training. What kind of made you kind of leave and decide not for you?
Daniel Peppin:
Well, let me clarify. Let me clarify that. I went through all of basic training for the Florida State Guard. I passed, I had everything. I did, everything I needed to do to be a Florida State Guard soldier. I left on the first drill after basic training, which I believe was a month or two afterwards, I decided in my professional interests that the Florida State Guard was not what I was looking for. And I respectfully told the leadership that, Hey, I am going to pursue my career with another state defense force. I do appreciate your guys’ time. I respect what you guys are doing, but just for courtesy’s sake, I am taking my leave is what I told them.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. So I guess that kind of leads me back to the previous question. I know in other state defense forces, and there have been, I believe I know of one incident in one state Defense Force, which I won’t mention which one, but there was a recruit that did join the State Defense Force. They were going through basic training, decided to go, this was not for them, didn’t tell command went home, and I know there was an arrest warrant issued because they’re under the same when you join that state Defense Force, every state defense force is under the same military laws and regulations as their National Guard. So there was an arrest warrant issued, and that recruit was arrested by the state police. I was aware of that situation of that situation in the Florida State Guard. There was nothing like that. So guys, when you guys were there, you guys were not held to the same military laws and regulations as the National Guard?
Daniel Peppin:
As far as what I know. In a situation like that, yes, we did have people that did leave. As I said, the middle of the night, they would leave their equipment there and the next morning or next morning we wouldn’t
see them. And then the cadre kind of clamped down on it and said, Hey, if you’re going to be doing something like this, please utilize the proper chain of command and request that way. Otherwise, there was no criminal consequence to leaving the bootcamp. But if you leave the bootcamp, and let’s say for example, if you take the equipment with you and you leave bootcamp, there will be a charge. I’m assuming there would’ve been a charge to that member. What airfield come out, let’s say? I don’t know, some kind of debt or something in particular like that from the state of Florida that I don’t know, but I could say it could be something like that. But as far as someone getting arrested or someone getting a warrant on them for leaving the bootcamp, I will say that that was not the case.
Jean Marciniak:
Oh, okay. Interesting.
Daniel Peppin: Yeah.
Jean Marciniak:
I guess that kind of leads me to my next question. Did they inform you that you were subject to the same military laws and regulations like the National Guard?
Daniel Peppin:
It was loosely talked about. A lot of state defense force. It is just a copy paste of UCMJ with a few tweak for their state. Far as going back to Florida’s concerned, it was mentioned loosely, but I wouldn’t say it was really, I wouldn’t say it was much of a, I don’t think it was really held to that kind of standard, if that makes sense.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. So did they say you guys are subject to it, but not really? I mean, how did they, is it,
Daniel Peppin:
I can’t say specifically that that is,
Jean Marciniak:
I guess the really crux of it was what we’re trying to find [email protected] is if a state guard volunteer from Florida was given an order by a sergeant in the National Guard to stand this post, make sure nobody takes any of the medical equipment and then decide to leave, this is not for me. I got to go take care of my family. Those military laws and regulations, can the commander, the National Guard or State Guard commander say, all right, I want to charge this person. Did they tell you that you are subject to that?
Daniel Peppin:
So I’m going to say, honestly, the subject there was mentioned, but I don’t know why it wasn’t really backed up to the way it was supposed to be. And I think more so, I think the Florida State Guard, and I’m assuming the National Guard too, just didn’t want to deal with the hassle of rounding people that decided they want to turn away from bootcamp. And I think they just kind of let it go and just kind of pursue it financially instead of criminally.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. I do know in some state, well, not some, I know in all state defense forces, they explain the military laws and regulations to initial recruits. Do they do that in the Guard as well? I know you said they briefly touched on it, but did they explain the military laws and regulations to the recruits?
Daniel Peppin:
They did. I actually have some paperwork right here, and I can just verify real quick just to make sure what our paperwork has told us. All right. Voluntary agreement. So with the voluntary agreement, basically it says that you understand and acknowledge that the Florida State Guard will investigate health and background check, understands that all this stuff is for when you came in specifically. So I don’t think that really ties to that. On number four, I’m sorry, on number three and number four, the voluntary agreement. It says, I agree to serve in the Florida State Guard for a period of three years from the date of my oath, after which I may be request to continue to serve if I’m separated from the Florida State Guard before my term of service completed, I may be subject to a recoupment action for any outstanding training expenses or benefits that I receive from the Florida State Guard.
I understand that if at any time during my voluntary service beard, I should decide to resign, I shall give written notice of intent to separate 90 days prior to the date of my requested date of separation. And then right here, there is a code of conduct, and it says here on the code of conduct, and number one, volunteers are expected to adhere to practice and promote the dissemination of the Florida State Guard mission and vision statements along with the implementation of a strategic goals on and off duty, follow the Florida State Guard policies and procedures.
Number three is illegal to commit any illegal or criminal contact by volunteer on or off duty, which right here it says any of this conduct may result in administrative sanctions up to and including dismissal. And let’s see, basically from what I’m seeing here from the voluntary agreement, it’s just specifically stating that mainly any of this kind of activity that would not reflect well on the Florida State Guard and that matter is just either put towards dismissal through administrative action, and then potentially financial sanctions for any money that was utilized to that soldier for training or other exercises specifically, if that makes sense. That is what I was, that’s pretty much what the paperwork is telling me in this voluntary agreement.
Jean Marciniak:
So they did not mention anything regarding the Florida State military laws Chapter two 50. Okay.
Daniel Peppin:
Nothing specific like that, but there was something sort of similar to it, but I wouldn’t say it’s like a carbon copy of UCMJ, if that makes sense.
Jean Marciniak:
Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. I guess moving on, I know you guys wore the A CU uniform, the Army Combat uniform from, I guess that was before the ocus.
Daniel Peppin:
The OCP is correct. And I’ll give you some information about the uniform. So when we first got in, first got into the Florida State Guard, I think even to the guys that came in the two weeks prior. Before the prior service, we were issued Army Combat uniforms with the universal camouflage pattern, which is of course the digital pattern that the Army had from 2005 to, I believe, up till 2019. And so of course, there was some differences with the uniform, the jacket, the pants, the blouse, the trousers and the cap were all the same UCP, the boots, instead of them being sand colored, they were coyote tan, just like the OCP uniform. And the undershirt was a coyote tan Florida State guard. I believe it was like a polyester style. It was a polyester style shirt. It was pretty kind of like an athletic shirt, not like a slash slash cotton slash poly shirt, if that makes sense. It was like an actual athletic mesh style shirt. Not mesh. Not mesh, I’m sorry, like a micro, I don’t even know how to describe it. It, it’s just, it’s like a high speed p t-shirt, basically.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Yeah, that’s fine. I tried, I saw the Florida State Guard flag patch. I know you guys wore those,
Daniel Peppin:
Correct? That was, we did have the flag patch. We were given a flag patch, and we were given a Florida State Guard patch, a patch for the acus. But we were only given, those, were only given that patch after our last culmination exercise. That’s when that circular patch was given.
Jean Marciniak:
Ah, okay. Interesting.
Daniel Peppin: Yes.
Jean Marciniak:
Name tapes, last name, I’m assuming. And then does it say last name in Florida State Guard or FL State Guard or
Daniel Peppin:
Abbreviated FL State Guard? That’s what it was. Oh,
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Interesting. Yeah. Kind of like Texas State Guard. Well, Texas actually does, I think the whole thing.
Daniel Peppin:
I mean, there’s only so much you can fit. I mean, yeah, if would’ve just put it were me, if I ran the whole thing, I would’ve just put Florida and just been done with it.
Jean Marciniak:
Yeah. I believe California does that.
Daniel Peppin: And Georgia
Jean Marciniak:
And Georgia, did you guys have to pay for your uniforms?
Daniel Peppin:
No, actually everything was issued. Everything was issued, okay. Yeah, so that was the good part. That’s one thing I commend the Florida State Guard for is that everything that we were given was issued. The boots, the belt, the jacket, the trousers, the cap, the undershirts, the PT shorts, the mesh laundry, the white mesh laundry bag, everything was given to us, was issued to us. So that was one thing that the Florida State Guard did really well with was being able to issue out uniforms and attire to their soldiers despite it being outdated. But like I said, I digress.
Jean Marciniak:
Yeah, I know there’s some state defense forces wearing old uniforms, and they soldiers feel the same way about that. Most of all state defense forces use the OCPs, and I believe Georgia is one of them.
Daniel Peppin:
Yes, that’s correct. And actually, I believe the last state besides Florida right now that was utilizing UCP was the Tennessee State Guard, but I believe they are switching over to OCPs now.
Jean Marciniak:
Yeah, yeah. I have a few contacts there. They’re confirming that, which they are very happy about.
Daniel Peppin:
That’s good. Yeah. No, that’s awesome. But if I were to say further about the uniform, so we were definitely given a pitch that a uniform was going to come out in the future within six months to a year, that was going to be something, it was going to be something completely different to what a standard uniform would be in a state defense force. I mean, you’re tracking Virginia Defense Force and how they utilize the TRU pattern, M 81 Woodland, right?
Jean Marciniak:
Yeah. Similar to the, pretty much the same pattern that the US Army used in the eighties.
Daniel Peppin:
That’s correct. Yeah. So the Florida State Guard was going to go to a route just like that, and I’m pretty sure they still are. Oh, wow. Yes. There was three choices they were looking at. It was going to be like a desert camo style, either blue, either blue, or it could be a type of green as well. But Desert Camo was definitely asked about, predominant was definitely the one that was kind of more so leaned about predominantly they could say maybe a desert Marpat style uniform, which a lot of us, we were thinking that maybe it was because of Governor Ron DeSantis ties with the US Navy, and also working with seals in the Marine Corps predominantly. Maybe that was probably the inspiration for that potential uniform pick. But as I can say, nothing was absolute, but there was uniforms and camouflage patterns that may have potentially be desert or something along that line.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Rank structure, this has, I’m very curious about the rank structure. So is it mirrored to the military rank structure, like from E one private to Oh, one second lieutenant.
Daniel Peppin:
Actually, as a matter of fact, yes. So the Florida State Guard ranking structure is exactly how the Army sets up their ranking structure with going from E one, fuzzy private all the way. I think right now the highest rank in the Florida State Guard is a lieutenant colonel at the moment. I think they are running
under a battalion size element, depending because of their size. But yes, that’s what they’re utilizing right now. And as far as who was chosen to be, what rank or the other, that was going to be a determining factor during the bootcamp where leadership and experience prior service was all taken into factor on who was going to be what rank in the Florida State Guard as well as we were given. We were given a form that basically filled out what we were wanting to do and what our qualifications were that could benefit us in the Florida State Guard specifically.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Yeah. So I guess one other, just before leaving off basic training, was there physical training during basic training? Did you, during normal bootcamp, basic training, get up at zero five, go out to the field, do pushups, I forgot what we used to call them, high straddle. I forgot what the sergeant major used to say, but basically jumping jacks.
Daniel Peppin:
Yeah, a high, you’re talking about high straddle hops?
Jean Marciniak:
Yep, yep, yep. My memory of that, I’m sorry.
Daniel Peppin:
No, it’s okay. Yes, yes. There was physical training. I believe it started, if I’m remembering this correctly, I believe we started around 6, 6 30 in the morning, and I think we would train up until 7, 7 30, sometimes eight, depending on the type of training. Normally it would be the Army Physical Readiness Training, set up the bend and reach, the rear lunge, the high jumper, stuff like that, that was utilized in typical army. PRT is what we utilize there for warmup. And then of course, depending on that day, we would have a run. We would do pushups, sit up drills, or we would probably do a physical sport activity or a contact sport activity such as like flag frisbee or what do they call that? Yeah, flag Frisbee, flag football, something like that matter.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay, interesting. Yeah. So I guess while you were in basic training and your first drill, did they mention the types of missions that you would be doing from comm to, I know you mentioned search and rescue earlier, logistical missions. What other kind of missions?
Daniel Peppin:
Yes. So missions that were brought up in training was definitely a point of distribution or pod training for disaster situations where civilians need food, water, and supplies. We would run a setup like let’s say at a school or a community center, and we would distribute food, water, and we did a rotation basis. People would come in, they would be an actor, and we would have certain scenarios, what would we need to do in those situations for pod training. Of course, I mentioned water rescue, so we were on pretty nice. They were very good, very nice boats. We had boats that we were utilized to rescue people from the water utilizing life boards, flotation devices, knots and ropes specifically that way too. And also one that was also touched was disaster surveying or working with FEMA or working with FEMA or the state versions version of fema and how to calculate disaster damages for stuff in regards to help out with people with getting recompensated or reimbursed for a disaster that hits their town or hits their city specifically. So we were given some brief and training about that as well too. And as I mentioned before, we were also given first aid training, stop the bleed, CPR specifically that.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Was there woodland or urban search and rescue
Daniel Peppin:
Water woodland and Yeah, those were the main specifically, although we did have, we had a area that was a very, it was like a rubble, basically the scenario there, it was a whole rubble. Everything was just rubble. It was all just concrete and debris, I’m assuming from a previous demolition that, and all the materials were put there. So we use that as a simulated event for a disaster situation. And we would rescue people and also do triage and analyze people for medical injuries, what they needed in recovery. Recovery methods.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Interesting. Very interesting.
Daniel Peppin: Yeah.
Jean Marciniak:
One other question I have, it was four week basic training, two weeks for you, because you’re a prior service? Yes. Was it paid?
Daniel Peppin: Yes, it was
Jean Marciniak:
Interesting. Wow. Okay. That’s very,
Daniel Peppin:
Yes, it was $160 a day for training, and I believe mileage to get to camp landing and leave from Camp landing. And I could be wrong, but I believe it was 42, 41 or 42 cents to the mile. I believe that was the compensation. Yes. So yes, we were compensated for that training
Jean Marciniak:
Now, which is very unusual because most actually all state defense forces don’t get paid for basic training, which is why a lot of times they spread it all over a course of weekends and then do a week here or week there. I guess the question that I have for you is for the monthly training drills, do they get paid for those?
Daniel Peppin:
That’s correct. They do.
Jean Marciniak: Really?
Daniel Peppin:
Yes. That is absolutely correct.
Jean Marciniak:
That’s very interesting. Wow. Okay. That is very unusual. Again, state defense forces, I know I’m not paid for their weekend training drills. That’s interesting. So that voids my next question, which is, are you paid for state active duty missions? I know
Daniel Peppin: Since
Jean Marciniak: You’re paid for.
Daniel Peppin:
I wasn’t there for their first mission for hurricane at Dahlia. I was already gone from the Florida State Guard by then. But from what I recollected from my colleagues, yes, they were paid for that deployment.
Jean Marciniak:
So I guess I have a last few questions. I guess my main question, which I already was kind of informed, but I just want to make sure that I get it from somebody that served. I was informed this was a civilian organization, not a military organization, a civilian organization under the Florida Military Department, but not supervised by the Florida Military Department. So did they tell you that you were a civilian or a military organization at basic training, or are you for sure?
Daniel Peppin:
See, that was kind of the part that was a little bit confusing for a lot of the guys, and I think that’s what kind of spurred maybe a good portion of the members to leave initially from the Florida State Guard, I believe it was under the assumption that it was going to be coming in as a civilian organization like fema, and they would be given training and authorization to help conduct and disaster and emergency management events like most, if not all state defense forces would do. And I think what it was during bootcamp was definitely a shock to some of the people that were there, especially prior service, that a lot of the training that we were doing did specifically have a military touch to it.
Jean Marciniak:
And the reason, I guess what’s confusing is the administrators and my contacts have mentioned that it is a civilian organization, but they run it like a military organization.
Daniel Peppin: Is that right?
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. So I just want to confirm that because my contacts are saying it’s a civilian organization, but they operate like a military organization.
Daniel Peppin:
I guess that would probably be something to look at it that way. And I’m trying to piece together how it would sound the most, because the idea was it was going to be an emergency focused volunteer force, and I believe it still is that way, but definitely, definitely. I believe the military aspect of it is more so ahomage to the Florida State Guard and also to establish discipline. To establish discipline, physical and mental toughness to the soldiers that volunteer within the Florida State Guard.
Jean Marciniak:
And I guess I have two last questions for you. And then I guess my last question for you is what are your thoughts on the future of the Florida State Guard?
Daniel Peppin:
I believe the Florida State Guard has a lot of potential. I think they are definitely a force that will definitely do good for not only the state of Florida, but for the entire country, especially right now as we speak. They’re going over to Texas for Operation Lone Star. I think they’re going to do great. What I believe that should be definitely looked at about what I think should definitely be looked at when it comes to the Florida State Guard is the leadership should definitely maintain a diverse force of experience within the organization and not just maybe have everybody who is going to be within the rank structure have to be prior service, prior LE or prior firefighter, which that’s not a bad thing either. But you have people feel a little bit, I guess they feel a little bit, they feel like it’s, they’re kind of beneath because they didn’t have that experience that a lot of my colleagues who were in the military in the Florida State Guard have right now.
That’s what I look at too. I think they should really focus more on helping the civilian portion of the Florida State Guard. We’ve given them the opportunities and situations that they would have that our military counterparts have. Another thing too that I would say about the Florida State Guard is I would think that before going out operationally as a state guard, I think they should have definitely established, they should have definitely established a, what’s the word I’m looking for? They should have established all the smaller stuff before going into operational level. And what I mean by that, I mean regulations for specific regulations for customs, courtesies, rank, structure, all of this, rather than just winging it as it goes along.
Jean Marciniak:
They didn’t cover drill and ceremony. I know that’s a big
Daniel Peppin:
Thing in, no, they did cover drill and ceremony. They did, but what I’m thinking that they should do, what they should do is have, you know, got to back this kind of organization with proper regulations and work. I think that a lot what was happening was that a lot of the stuff they were doing was loosely based on army regulation, although that stuff can get kind of skewed because you have service members from different branches that operate just a wee bit differently from every other branch. And I think to at least push that confusion aside, I think they should have had a more, Hey, we have all these regulations set up for drill and ceremony, custom and courtesies, operational readiness, uniform, uniform in appearance, so on and so forth. Say, Hey, this organization is going to be run with as an Army component or as similar to an Army component specifically in terms of regulation. So that way it would’ve probably shut out a lot of initial confusion for a lot of the people coming in, especially prior service.
But I will say that Colonel Murray, who is the current battalion commander for the Florida State Guard and a major Pickett, who’s the xo, I think they’re doing a great job. They have a lot of experience on their belt for the two of them, and especially Command Star Major Campbell as well. I think they’re all great assets to the Florida State Guard as well as every member that’s currently in there. I think if they look towards ironing out those little kinks and flaws, which I think they’re doing, I believe that Florida State Guard will definitely be on par, let’s say with Texas, with New York, with California, especially in terms of size and asset and resources.
Jean Marciniak:
And I guess I just want to piggyback off that. I’ve heard from my contacts that a significant amount of the a hundred plus, I don’t want to, I’m sorry,
Daniel Peppin:
120 plus, which that was kind of our number after we all graduated from bootcamp. It was like 120 something. I don’t know exactly what the exact number was.
Jean Marciniak:
And I know that figure dropped drastically.
Daniel Peppin:
That is correct. It did, yes.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. And yeah, that just confirms my sources. Okay, awesome. Is there anything I missed that you want to talk or talk, want to bring up?
Daniel Peppin:
I will make this point to say that the Florida State Guard, and going back to uniform and appearance again for the Florida State Guard, and maybe you might not be tracking this right now, but the Florida State Guard currently when it comes to federal service and badges and ments, that you would receive normally in your federal service. So as of right now, the Florida State Guard has just basically a, I think there is probably a policy right now at the moment where badges from either federal or state service right now are currently not authorized with the Florida State Guard. That might change down in the future, which that would be fine. That would be great. But yes, so unlike a lot of other state defense forces, the Florida State Guard does have that kind of policy where you cannot wear anything as far as from your previous service onto your current uniform, I don’t know, air assault, parachutist Ranger tab, so on and so forth.
Jean Marciniak:
I could imagine that, I know every state defense force allows, if you were a combat veteran where you’re, especially yourself, you probably have a patch on your right shoulder indicating you are a combat veteran. And I know in the New York and many other state defense, well, all the other state defense forces, they are allowed to wear their combat patches or the other achievements that they may have achieved in the US Army, Navy Marines.
Daniel Peppin:
Yeah, and like I said, it’s not that it’s a problem. This was something that I expressed kind of a concern with Colonel Murray and Major Pickett about, and they understand it and they sympathize with it as well too. But I think it was something that was higher than Colonel Murray’s authority at the time. So it’s not his fault, it’s not anyone’s fault. However, it’s being delineated is probably from the top up. And I mean, that’s just what it is right now. I mean, yeah.
Jean Marciniak:
Okay. Well, I’ll end the interview there. Thank you so much for coming on the show.
Daniel Peppin:
Thank you. I appreciate it.
