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.”
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.