SecDef

My last couple of posts have been critical and negative, but that is not the sum total of how I feel about senior leadership.

I saw Donald Rumsfeld on Armed Forces Network yesterday, taking questions from soldiers at some type of gathering. It’s normal for him to be surrounded by soldiers. After all, he’s the Secretary of Defense. And, it didn't appear to just be a backdrop to add legitimacy to some other point he was trying to make.

I saw him take questions from soldiers when I was in Kuwait, and in fact got to ask him a question. This was the same Q&A when the soldier famously asked about up-armored vehicles. Rumsfeld at least gives pretty straight answers, and he actually answers the question asked rather than just ignoring it and repeating a talking point. It is this candor that gets him into trouble.

Although I disagree with him on many things, I do respect him. I asked him about a pay problem our soldiers were having, one that I had been working hard with minimal success. Rumsfeld had an aide take information from me on the spot, and right afterward things started to happen. Although it was probably almost effortless for him, he caused the bureaucracy to quit screwing around with our pay and just get it fixed. He followed through and helped us out, and I respect him for that.

He is entitled, of course, to different philosophical goals. That’s what elections are about. I just think he’s a capable, smart, honorable man.