Semper Fi
Tet Vet, USACE Regulatory Chief, disaster expert leads RFO
By Davis Harris, public affairs specialist, Louisiana Recovery Field Office  

Mike Smith is a study in contrasts. From a small farming community boy-turned-Marine buck sergeant, a combat-hardened veteran fighting in the 1968 Vietnam Tet Offensive, he evolved to one of the tireless recalled civilian retiree “brass” leading the Army Corps of Engineers’ counteroffensive in 40 Louisiana parishes after Katrina’s disastrous assault.  

Mike strikes an imposing “tough-guy” image betrayed by a puckered grin and a squinty twinkle as he inspires loyalty with warm, tender words of praise for his teammates from a gravelly voice sounding like the Patton movie but revealing a big heart of gold. 

The American Legion Post Commander in Beverly, Ohio, and lifetime VFW and American Legion member, he drank from a fire hose as Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Regulatory, overseeing the controversial wetland permit program nationwide, while also volunteering for occasional disaster response duty. 

Mike retired in 2002 as the civilian chief of Regulatory at the Corps of Engineers headquarters in Washington, D.C., overseeing the nationwide wetlands permitting program. It wasn’t too long before he got itchy feet. 

He tried working at the local library for a modicum of excitement, but the adventures on the pages of books didn’t quite translate to the Type-A-behavior “routine” to which he was accustomed. 

He learned of the Reemployed Annuitant Cadre following landfall of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Congress had authorized a program tapping into the ready talent of retirees during national emergencies, providing retention of full pension added to full-time salary for deployed retirees. 

Mike is drinking from the fire hose again. A 72-hour week is “light” for him. He often sneaks in another eight.  

Early on, he had overseen the construction of temporary morgue facilities and living quarters that could accommodate more than 400 doctors, nurses and other workers. He continued as action officer for building critical public facilities before becoming assistant director of the Louisiana Recovery Field Office. On July 23, he became the director of the entire Corps recovery mission.

On a typical day today, Mike answers dozens of Blackberry messages about leaning saltwater-killed trees, changing city deadlines or Corps personnel issues for workers typically serving 30-90 days. Mike is pushing a total of 13 months here so far and is on his third deployment.  

He grabs his hard hat and safety vest between visits to city officials on his way to visit a demolition site, after which trucks haul away asbestos-containing material, part of 27 million cubic yards of debris the Corps has processed in nearly two years – enough to fill eight Empire State Buildings. 

“We have accomplished a lot, and we’ve really only scratched the surface,” he said. “We’ve demolished 3,600 private structures, and yet there are still literally thousands remaining – commercial demolition has not even taken off. The city must condemn properties in coordination with state and FEMA programs.  

“We’re the execution arm of FEMA. It’s a tremendous challenge and opportunity to deal with all the actions relating to homes that have been in imminent threat of collapse or washed off their foundations. It requires that we get all the proper rights-of-entry and necessary approvals from the various agencies.” 

He said his own survey of the area found that the Garden District suffered wind damage, that the French Quarter was built on high ground but the further from heart of the city he went, the lower the elevation with more dependence on the levee system.  

“A lot of areas below sea level suffered the most, with a tremendous amount of devastation in the Ninth Ward. There’s still a lot of damage out there.” 

Any hopeful news? 

“I think the city will come back,” he said. “It’s in the process of coming back – they’ve got great football games, Mardi Gras partners are working to get it back - it’s going to be bigger and better. It will never the same, and that’s not to say that it’s not going to be better than it was.” 

The Corps of Engineers has moved more than 28 million cubic yards of debris, enough to fill the Superdome six times.  

“I got here Sept. 11, 2005, and in the first few months we moved more debris than in the history of Corps - more than Hurricane Andrew. Everybody has stood up; it’s a tremendous partnership. Everyone is working as hard as they can to get it fixed.” 

He was born and reared in Waterford, Ohio, a small farming community where his late mother was a reporter for regional newspapers. She died two years ago. Mike and his wife, Anne, bought the old home place and are fixing up as their permanent residence. 

“It’s like I never left,” Mike said. “Friends from high school are still there. It’s like coming home. I’ve had 26 moves, and this is the last one.” 

He added, “Several months ago I came back home, and then I was asked to come back to New Orleans and help again. It’s a win-win situation. I enjoy the job and at the end of the day we can see that we’ve assisted people who need help. It’s good for me and good for the Corps. 

Regarding his status as a “retiree,” he’s sold on the value of Corps’ reserve of its reemployed annuitant cadre on call for upcoming hurricanes. “Retirees bring in experience and expertise that allow the mission to move forward.”   

The Smiths plan on going home in September - “our goal is for keeps,” Mike said, but the timing depends on how many more demolitions the Corps does and whether the mission is expanded to include commercial properties. 

“You just can’t walk away from an unfinished mission,” he said. 

After that, his mission and focus is clear, to the extent this restless combat vet can hang up his distinctive red-castled, white Corps shirts.  

“Remodel the home place and settle down.”  

…At least until his country calls him on speed-dial once more after yet another disaster.