Believe Quote by Leon Panetta

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to exercise civilian control over the Department for the Commander-in-Chief…

— Donald Rumsfeld

In fact, I worked at the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. I've seen the massive operation that the Secretary needs…

— Andy Kim

Certainly, we shouldn't go about making a habit of taking generals and making them secretary of defense.

— Peter R. Mansoor

It is an honor of a lifetime to be appointed secretary of defense and to lead the greatest military in history.

— Mark Esper

I never expected to be Defence Secretary. It's a great privilege.

— Bob Ainsworth

The job of the Department of Defense is to keep America safe from our enemies. But we can't do that if some of those…

— Lloyd Austin

It's rare in an administration for a secretary of state and a secretary of defense to get along really well.

— David Brooks

In my time as defence secretary there are people who have felt that may be I have been outspoken on behalf of the Armed…

— Gavin Williamson

We all know why [the generals] are so critical of the defense secretary. They're being defensive because they weren't able to implement his brilliant…

— Stephen Colbert

These soldiers deserve a better defense secretary than the one we have.

— Anonymous

It is of first importance that the military be subordinate to civilian government

— John Rawls

A certain grasp of military affairs is vital for those in charge of general policy.

— Carl von Clausewitz