Gov. Rick Scott talks safety while visiting National Guardsmen

Scott's visit comes days after his executive order to protect Fla. National Guard

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just days after he issued an executive order calling for more protection for Florida's guardsmen, Gov. Rick Scott visited the 125th Fighter Wing of Florida Air National Guard base at Jacksonville International Airport Wednesday morning.

"We thank you for what you do every day," Scott told an assembly, then shook the hands of about 100 guardsmen gathered in a hangar.

Scott ordered National Guard personnel out of storefront recruiting offices after last week's shootings at a recruiting office and reserve center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killed five members of the United States military. 

"It's disappointing but we've got to make them safe. What I've asked the adjutant general to do is look at how we can make them safe. I think it's important they're armed, and we won't open up our recruitment centers until they are safe. It's too bad, but we know ISIS is targeting our military members, abroad and here," Scott said. 

Gov. Rick Scott hands hands of Florida Air National Guard members after a short address Wednesday morning.

Maj. Gen. Michael Calhoun said moving them to the armories will take adjustment in terms of recruiting, but they'll make it work. Chris Mullins, who lives near one of the recruitment centers, said it's unfortunate but necessary to keep people safe, especially in these scary times. 

"In our own country we'll have to be a lot more diligent in how we see people, in how they approach us, it's brought a huge issue to us. How do we trust anyone that walks up to us in any store," Mullins said. 

The two centers affected in Jacksonville are at 7178 Baymeadows Way and 1915 Beach Blvd.

Until the state has time to figure out how to improve security at those storefront centers, National Guard providers will work out of the nearest armory.

Scott said eventually he'd like to see the recruitment centers have more security, possibly bulletproof glass or patrols.

He said for now he'd at least like to see qualified members armed and able to defend themselves.

"We expect them to defend American freedom, we want them to defend themselves," Scott said.

He said arming the guardsmen is not political, it's simply common sense, and he hopes the president will take action as well.

"The president needs to do an executive order, is my understanding, to allow them to be armed at the neighborhood recruitment centers," Scott said. "It's common sense that they be safe. You expect them to defend our freedom. They ought to be able to defend themselves."

Authorities are also talking with local law enforcement to arrange for regular security checks of the Florida National Guard armories.

Scott said he's spoken with other governors around the country and many of them are following the same steps.

DOCUMENT: Read the full executive order

At Wednesday's event, guardsmen with automatic weapons stood behind the governor.

Monday, Scott was among the first governors in the country to order all American flags be lowered to half-staff to honor those killed in the Tennessee attacks. President Barack Obama issued the same order for the rest of the nation Tuesday.