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Florida’s Capitol was surrounded by Humvees, soldiers and war aircraft, as the state celebrated National Guard Day.

Governor Charlie Crist honored the state’s 12-thousand national guardsmen by singing a Military Community Covenant. Crist said the strong military presence in Florida provides some stability for the state’s economy.

“The military has an enormous economic impact on our state as well. We understand that these are challenging economic times, but they would be that much more challenging without the great military we have throughout the Sunshine State,” said Crist.

Defense related spending accounts for 55 billion dollars a year in Florida, which is about seven and a half percent of the state’s domestic output. Crist also praised the National Guard for preparation and clean up efforts during Tropical Storm Fay.