Army General Recalls Katrina Aftermath

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, left, and Lt. Gen. Russel Honore salute the crowd as they march from the New Orleans Convention Center to the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans Tuesday afternoon Aug. 29, 2006. When civilian officials couldn't get a grip on Hurricane Katrina's devastation, it was Lt. Gen. Russel Honore who took charge, leading federal troops to help rescue thousands still stranded in New Orleans days after the storm. The cigar-chomping three-star general, whose leadership in the drowning city earned him the praise of even the government's harshest critics, has since settled back to his chief duty: Training National Guard and Reserve soldiers for their deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (Alex Brandon - AP)

The troops he led brought more than much-needed humanitarian supplies and the manpower to restore order to the chaotic city. He also brought a rare sense of safety for the desperate thousands stranded on rooftops and gathered in public centers in the storm's aftermath.

The military's response, though, worried some experts who fear local disaster planners will be more willing to seek federal help instead of preparing a strong, community reaction.

"I don't ever think we want to be in a place in this country where mayors and governments aren't in charge," said James Carafano, a homeland security specialist at the Heritage Foundation. "We don't ever want to be in a place where you transfer the authority to an unelected official."

Honore defends the military's presence in such an extraordinary situation.

"When the leaders become victims," he said, "the need for outside help was clearly there."

In the storm's aftermath, he's lobbied for better communication lines between federal troops and local authorities, particularly a satellite-based communication network to keep a link up and running.

Honore now is in demand on the speaking circuit, addressing audiences ranging from disaster planners to college graduates, while continuing to regularly welcome back troops returning from Iraq.

He downplayed his celebrity, saying he just remains focused on "being a better general."

One day, he said, he'll leave the military, but refuses to say if that will include a future in politics _ like maybe a run for governor of Louisiana.

With a smirk, he adds in his rolling Creole accent: "You can't swing a stick at a location where people don't need help."