Naming Names

Defense Department officials today announced the members of a newly created commission charged with evaluating the military's ability to help civil authorities respond to a domestic catastrophe involving weapons of mass destruction.

Chairman of the 12-member commission is retired Adm. Steven Abbot, who is the president and chief executive officer of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Also on the panel is retired Army Gen. Dennis Reimer, former Republican Congressmen George Nethercutt and James Greenwood, and former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating (R).

The other members are retired Vice Adm. James Metzger of Science Applications International Corp.; retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Ervin Rokke; the retired Army National Guard two-stars Dennis Celletti, Jerry Grizzle, Ronald Harrison and Raymond Rees; and James Carafano of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Panel members held their inaugural meeting this week. They are expected to produce a report with recommendations for lawmakers and Pentagon leaders within a year.