In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 storm and was the costliest hurricane as well as one of the five deadliest storms in the history of the United States. It caused extensive destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas. The most severe loss of life and property damage occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the levee system catastrophically failed, flooding the city and large tracts of neighboring parishes. In preparation for and reaction to the hurricane, the United States Northern Command established Joint Task Force Katrina at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to act as the Active component's on-scene commander. Some 22,000 Active-Duty personnel eventually assisted with relief-and-recovery operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. At the same time, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 3 territories sent approximately 50,000 National Guard personnel to deal with the storm's aftermath. These men and women were instrumental in the rescue-and-relief mission, often using their own initiative and resources in the chaotic aftermath of the storm. Because the media coverage of this great national disaster tended toward the sensational more than the analytical, many important stories remain to be told in a dispassionate manner. One such story is the response by US Army personnel, both the Active and Reserve components, within the broader governmental effort to mitigate the horrific effects of the storm. James Wombwell's study offers just such a dispassionate analysis of the Army's response to the natural disaster by providing a detailed account of the operations in Louisiana and Mississippi. Much good work was done by the Army team, but Wombwell shows that there is still room for improvement. Sadly, we have not seen the end of natural disasters in the United States, ensuring that the US Army once more will be called upon to provide assistance in their aftermath. The insights gained from the Army's experience following Hurricane Katrina, as delineated in James Wombwell's study, will make that future response even more focused and efficient.

Includes maps of: Hurricane Katrina's Track; Mississippi Task Forces; Orleans Parish Operating Areas.

Introduction / History and Doctrine. Historical background -- Total force response to civil assistance -- Laws, directives, plans, and doctrine related to civil support -- Summary / The storm / Louisiana. Prelandfall preparations -- Immediate response operations -- Airborne search-and-rescue operations -- Airborne evacuations -- Ground operations -- Superdome -- Ernest N. Morial Convention Center -- Recovery operations -- National Guard in Louisiana -- Summary / Mississippi. Prelandfall preparations -- Immediate response operations -- Recovery operations -- Task Force Quick -- Task Force Wright -- Task Force Lee -- Task Force Kiefer -- Other Task Forces -- Summary / Title 10 Operations. Prelandfall preparations -- Immediate response -- Recovery operations -- Task Force All American -- Aviation support -- Logistics support -- Medical support -- Veterinary support -- Mortuary support -- Reserve component support --US Army Corps of Engineers -- Title 10 support in Mississippi -- Summary / Conclusions: Analysis using FM 3-28, "Civil Support Operations" -- Chapter 1, civil support operations overview -- Chapter 2, integrating Army operations with national doctrine -- Chapter 3, provide support in response to a disaster -- Chapter 4, support to law enforcement -- Chapter 6, legal considerations -- Chapter 7, sustainment -- Summary / Glossary / Appendix A: Hurricane Katrina chronology /Appendix B: Louisiana National Guard task organization / Appendix C: Mississippi National Guard task organization.