National Guard Bureau Chief Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum praised the efforts of thousands of Army and Air National Guard troops pressed into service in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and other states as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Blum said the response proved the Guard could handle the federal mission (deployments to some 40 countries) as well as stateside crises “at the same time,” without putting at risk the overseas mission or homeland security.
The Space Development Agency added 21 satellites to its nascent data transport network in an Oct. 15 launch, the second mission in 10-month campaign to field 154 operational spacecraft.
