Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, a native of Lakeland, Louisiana, received his commission as a second lieutenant in 1971. Throughout his extensive military career, he has been there for Louisiana and for LSU.
Honoré, the 33rd Commanding General of the U.S. First Army at Fort Gillem, Georgia, retired after 37 years of distinguished service. He received numerous honors, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Honoré led the Department of Defense response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and he was asked to chair the investigation into the Capitol Security Infrastructure following the disturbances of January 6, 2021.
As with many others who are recognized as alumni by choice of LSU, Honoré’s involvement and support of LSU includes more than 10 years of service on the Stephenson Disaster Management Institute Board of Experts. He was honored with an endowed professorship bearing his name at the LSU Health Sciences Center School of Public Health in New Orleans, LA.
In 2011, Honoré was also named a Louisiana Legend by Louisiana Public Broadcasting.