Civil Air Patrol Col. Rock Palermo discusses Hurricane Rita relief operations in Lake Charles, La., with Chuck Kleckley, Louisiana state representative; Hal McMillin, Calcasieu Parish police jury president; Ronnie Johns, Louisiana state representative; and David Vitter, U.S. senator from Louisiana. Colonel Palermo spent nearly three weeks directing local emergency operations in his hometown of Lake Charles. He was drafted as operations section chief and later deputy director because of his past disaster management experience. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tom R. Malmay Jr.)