Russel Honore

Russel L. Honoré – Life, Leadership, and Legacy

Discover the life and career of Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré — his rise from rural Louisiana to military leadership, his role in Hurricane Katrina relief, and his ongoing advocacy in disaster preparedness, environmental justice, and national security.

Introduction

Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré (born September 15, 1947) is a retired U.S. Army officer, famed for his decisive command during Hurricane Katrina recovery and his outspoken views on leadership, crisis response, and environmental and social issues. Known popularly as “the Ragin’ Cajun,” Honoré has since leveraged his military reputation into a public voice on national preparedness, climate resilience, and systemic justice.

Early Life and Background

Russel Honoré was born in Lakeland, Louisiana, to Udell (or Eudell) St. Armant Honoré and Lloyd Honoré. He was the eighth of twelve children in a family of subsistence farmers in Pointe Coupée Parish. He grew up amid modest means, helping with farm work (growing sugar cane, corn, cotton, raising pigs and cattle) and learned early lessons in hard work, adaptability, and humility.

Honoré’s family is of Creole heritage, reflecting Louisiana’s complex cultural and racial history. He described his upbringing as “poor but with a good family” and often mentions how survival, resourcefulness, and preparation were embedded in his early environment.

Education and Military Entry

Honoré attended Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, where he earned a B.S. in vocational agriculture in 1971. While at Southern, he joined the ROTC, commissioning as a second lieutenant upon graduation.

He later earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources from Troy University. Over his 37-year military career, he held numerous leadership, staff, and command roles across the U.S. Army, contributing to doctrine, operations, and disaster-response planning.

Military Career & Command Roles

Honoré’s military trajectory included both operational leadership and institutional roles:

• He served in commands in Korea, Germany, and other international postings.

• He was Vice Director for Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff, shaping interagency and military planning efforts.

• He led 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.

• In 2004, he was appointed Commanding General of the First U.S. Army, based at Fort Gillem, Georgia, overseeing training, mobilization, and readiness efforts.

Hurricane Katrina & the Joint Task Force

In August 2005, after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, Honoré was designated to lead Joint Task Force Katrina, coordinating military assets across the region to support rescue, security, and relief operations.

Honoré’s leadership during Katrina earned national attention for its decisiveness, no-nonsense style, and willingness to call out bureaucratic failures. As New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said, “he came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving.”

One well-known moment: during press interactions, Honoré confronted a reporter over a question, saying, “You are stuck on stupid” — in context to pressing for accountability in the disaster response.

His emphasis on “weapons down, damn it!” in public order and direct engagement with local teams became iconic.

Retirement & Post-Military Advocacy

Honoré retired from the Army on February 29, 2008, concluding 37 years of service. After retirement, he shifted focus to disaster preparedness, crisis management, public speaking, and environmental advocacy.

He founded GreenARMY, an organization emphasizing environmental justice, climate resiliency, and water and land protection in Louisiana and beyond.

In response to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, appointed Honoré to lead a security review of Capitol infrastructure and interagency command systems.

He also has become a frequent commentator on policy, disaster resilience, and leadership, offering blunt but grounded insights into systems that fail under crisis.

Awards, Recognitions & Character

Honoré’s military and public service has earned him many honors:

• Defense Distinguished Service Medal (×2)

• Army Distinguished Service Medal (×2)

• Defense Superior Service Medal

• Legion of Merit (multiple awards)

• Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, and many campaign and service medals.

• Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award (2005) for his Katrina efforts.

• Several honorary doctorates from institutions including Southern University, Stillman College, etc.

In character, Honoré is known for a commanding presence, a direct, no-nonsense communication style, deep moral conviction, and a belief in accountability. In interviews, he emphasizes integrity, humility, and preparedness—even admonishing institutions when they fall short.

Legacy & Lessons

1. Crisis leadership demands clarity and moral courage
   Honoré’s example in Katrina shows how one person’s directness and decisiveness can break organizational inertia and catalyze action.

2. Preparedness is a cultural bedrock
   He often warns that disasters are inevitable; societies must foster a culture of preparedness, not reactive panic.

3. Service beyond one’s uniform
   After his military career, he continued to serve—in public safety, environmental justice, and institutional critique.

4. Integration of environment, equity, and security
   Honoré sees climate change and inequality as key national security issues, insisting they must be part of strategic planning.

5. Leadership is rooted in humility and consistency
   Despite his status, Honoré frequently recalls early lessons from rural life—about resource constraints, community, and responsibility.