Russel Honoré | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname | "The Ragin' Cajun" |
| Born | (1947-09-15)September 15, 1947 (age 78) |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1971–2008 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant general |
| Commands | First Army 2nd Infantry Division |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) |
| Website | generalhonore.com |
Russel Luke Honoré (/ˈɒnəreɪ/ON-ər-ay; born September 15, 1947) is a retiredlieutenant general of theUnited States Army. He served as the 33rd commanding general of theU.S. First Army atFort Gillem, Georgia, from 2004 until his retirement in 2008.[1][2][3]
Honoré is a native of Louisiana, best known for his role as the commander ofJoint Task Force Katrina, the military relief effort for the areas affected byHurricane Katrina in 2005. His direct and often blunt leadership style during the crisis drew widespread media attention and praise, with New Orleans MayorRay Nagin referring to him as a "John Wayne dude".[4]
After retiring from the military, Honoré has been involved in political commentary and disaster preparedness advocacy. He has led environmental activism in Louisiana through his organization, the GreenARMY.[5] In 2021, Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosi appointed Honoré to lead a review of security at theU.S. Capitol following theJanuary 6 attack.[6]
Honoré is a native ofLakeland inPointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, and 9th of 12 children, born to aLouisiana Creole family who settled in Pointe Coupée Parish.[7] The Honoré surname is documented as one of the foundational family names of the Cane River Creole community. The historian Gary B. Mills, a leading scholar on Louisiana Creoles, specifically lists the Honoré family among the core group of "free people of color" who settled in the Cane River's Isle Brevelle community.[8]
Honoré earned aB.S. invocational agriculture fromSouthern University and A&M College in 1971. He also holds anM.A. inhuman resources fromTroy University as well as an honoraryD.P.A. from Southern University and A&M College.[9][10] He has received leadership development training from the international civilian Center for Creative Leadership.[11]
Prior to his appointment on July 15, 2004, as Commander, First United States Army, Honoré served in a variety of command and staff positions in South Korea andGermany. He served as Commanding General,2nd Infantry Division inSouth Korea; Vice Director for Operations, J-3, The Joint Staff,Washington, D.C.; Deputy Commanding General and Assistant Commandant, United States Army Infantry Center and School,Fort Benning, Georgia; and Assistant Division Commander, Maneuver/Support,1st Cavalry Division,Fort Hood,Texas.[9]
On June 13, 2002, inSouth Korea, soldiers from the2nd Infantry Division were on a training mission near theNorth Korean border when their vehiclehit and killed two 14-year-old girls on a narrow public road.[12] In July 2002, the U.S. military indicted Sgt. Mark Walker and Sgt. Fernando Nino on charges ofnegligent homicide.[13] They were later found not guilty. Honoré (then amajor general) responded by visiting the victims' parents and promising the U.S. military would build a memorial near the accident site to honor the girls.[14]
On January 15, 2021,Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosi announced that Honoré would lead a review of security failures following theU.S. Capitol attack that will focus on "security infrastructure, interagency processes and procedures, and command and control".[15][16]
On August 31, 2005, Honoré was designated commander ofJoint Task Force Katrina, responsible for coordinating military relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina-affected areas across theGulf Coast. His arrival in New Orleans followed widespread criticism of the slow and inadequate response by local, state, and federal authorities.[17] TheFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its director,Michael D. Brown, were specifically criticized for the agency's performance.[18]
Honoré's direct leadership style drew national attention. New Orleans MayorRay Nagin praised him in a radio interview, stating, "I give the president some credit on this—he sent oneJohn Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done, and his name is Gen. Honoré. And he came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving."[19] On September 20, 2005, at a press conference, Honoré told a reporter "You are stuck on stupid. I'm not going to answer that question." in reference to a hypothetical comparison to theLos Angeles riots of 1992.[20] In one widely played video clip, Honoré was on the streets of New Orleans, barking orders to subordinates and, in one case, berating local police officers who were displaying their weapons as they rode past him. "Weapons down! Weapons down, damn it!" Honoré shouted.[21] With both the New Orleans police and the National Guard, he is credited with shifting the focus from a military-style presence to a humanitarian relief mission.[22]
Stars and Stripes, the unofficial newspaper of theUnited States Armed Forces, reported that Honoré had previous experience dealing with flooding at many South Korean bases duringmonsoon season and supervised the installation of flood control measures.[23] AfterHurricane Maria devastatedPuerto Rico in 2017, Honoré described the situation in the U.S. territory as being "like a war" and said it was significantly worse than New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina.[24] Honoré criticized theTrump administration's response to the crisis, saying it demanded a greater and more rapid response, with a larger commitment of U.S. troops to provide emergency assistance.[25]
As a result of the2021 United States Capitol attack,SpeakerNancy Pelosi announced on January 15, 2021, that Honoré would lead an investigation into the incident.[26] He suggested that fencing should be installed and discussed shortcomings in security.[27] He was vocal onTwitter about the response of theUnited States Capitol Police officers, calling it a "shit show".[28]
In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi byRepresentativeMatt Gaetz, he was criticized for statements he made in regard to certain members ofCongress, specifically forSenatorJosh Hawley to be "run out of D.C." andRepresentativeLauren Boebert needing to be put on a no fly list.[29][30]
In late August 2009, there were reports that Honoré would run for U.S. Senate in 2010 in his native Louisiana as aRepublican against incumbent Republican SenatorDavid Vitter.[31] On August 31, when asked onCNN about the reports, Honoré expressed admiration for individuals who aspire to serve in public office but said that he had no plans to seek the Senate seat, as he was unlikely to win with the viewpoints he currently holds.
Honoré describes himself as an "African-AmericanCreole", a combination that includesFrench,African,Native American andSpanish ancestry.[32] He was raised Catholic.[33][34]
Honoré resides inBaton Rouge, Louisiana with his wife, Beverly, and their four children.[33] He founded the GreenARMY, an environmental coalition focused on Louisiana.[35] He has criticized excessive groundwater use byExxonMobil andGeorgia-Pacific in Baton Rouge, and their close relationship with the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation Commission that oversees and regulates water use by these corporations.[36]
During the halftime of theIndependence Bowl inShreveport, Louisiana, on December 30, 2005, he was honored with theOmar N. Bradley "Spirit of Independence Award" because of his leadership in the recovery of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.[37] On the third anniversary of the storm, he was honored with a tribute at the New Orleans City Council for his service to the city.[38]
His military awards and decorations include:[9]
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Superior Unit Award
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.svg)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 4_ribbon.svg)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)_ribbon.svg)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Expert Infantryman Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification BadgeThe families who formed the core of the new settlement were those of the mulattoes Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer and Nicolas Augustin Metoyer and their black wives, and those of a handfull of other free men of color who married into the family, among them the LeVasseurs, Rachals, Chelettes, Grillets, and Honorés.
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