Farewell, Secretary Gates

Farewell, Secretary Gates

With the confirmation of Leon Panetta as our next Secretary of Defense, the time's come for the president, our military and our nation to offer a hearty Farewell, Secretary Gates.  Dr. Robert Gates has a few days in June remaining, but has come to the end of his tenure at the helm of our nation's military.  Many assume Cabinet-level positions- but not all assuming those positions are equal.  Some become embroiled in scandals of their own making and are forced to resign in disgrace, some exhibit marked incompetence- yet somehow manage to retain their positions. Others have managed to straddle both sides of the ineptitude fence before all but leaving Washington in the dead of night.

Not the case with Dr. Gates.  As the only Secretary of Defense in U.S. history to remain following a presidential transition, it speaks volumes about his integrity and the respect he's maintained from both sides of the political aisle.  The position of U.S. Secretary of Defense is a highly visible one, and those that have held it have known all too well the weight of the office and its enormous responsibility.  McNamara, Weinberger, Cheney, Perry, Cohen, Rumsfeld....all names easily recognizable by many of our citizens.  Can you name 3 or 4 Secretaries of the Interior or Commerce?  Can you even name the current Secretary of the Interior or Commerce?  I doubt it.

Big job on a big stage, our Secretary of Defense position is.  The incumbent has the lives of many of your sons and daughters in his hand and on his mind at all times.  I am a Democrat-turned-Republican, but rest assured that before I lay my head down in a few minutes I'll say a prayer that includes 3 members of our government:  our president, our Secretary of State and our Secretary of Defense.  I'll pray to the Lord Jesus that holds the whole world in His hands- and for those also holding decisions affecting the lives of our service members in their's.

Leon Panetta was Chief of Staff when I was at The White House, and he is a brilliant man that runs a tight ship.  I wish him Godspeed as our next Secretary of Defense- and he'll need it as the outgoing one is leaving huge shoes to fill.

I wish you fair winds, following seas and farewell, Secretary Gates.