You know, we lose more homes every year to flooding than we do any other event in America.

America needs to get over it. We can't control everything. We can't control the storms.

Before Katrina, it was a longstanding tradition in our country for political officials to wait until the last minute to warn, to take action, to evacuate. No more. With Irene, you had mass evacuations - mandatory ones - issued days ahead of time. That was the right thing to do.

Leadership is working with goals and vision management is working with objectives.

When you form a team, why do you try to form a team? Because teamwork builds trust and trust builds speed.

The National Guard has served America as both a wartime force and the first military responders in times of domestic crisis. Hundreds of times each year, the nation's governors call upon their Guard troops to respond to fires, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most vicious storm systems to hit the New York City area in nearly two centuries.