Paul McHale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, told a Congressional committee investigating government response to Hurricane Katrina, that while the Pentagon responded well, the Administration as a whole did not follow the game plan. McHale noted that the Pentagon deployed personnel and assets before receiving a formal request from FEMA. He pointed an accusing finger at Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who, said McHale, had the responsibility for appointing a single principal federal officer to coordinate the government response. Chertoff was late, said McHale, adding, “We acted in advance, … and we would do so again.”
U.S. Northern Command plans to sign an agreement with its European and Pacific counterparts to enhance coordination and close security seams in the Arctic, a strategically vital region that spans all three commands. The agreement comes at an important moment in NORTHCOM's evolution, as its mission grows more complex.
