Vote Note H.R. 335 – Allowing Recently Retired Officers to Serve as Secretary of Defense: NO

H.R. 335 – Allowing Recently Retired Officers to Serve as Secretary of Defense: NO. Federal law forbids recently retired officers from serving as Secretary of Defense for some very good reasons. Civilian control of the military is a bulwark of our freedom. I voted to suspend this law for James Mattis and it was a big mistake. If general officers aspire to advancement in this manner, I am very concerned it will naturally politicize their acts to curry favor with whichever party they expect to be in power. I have grown increasingly wary of inbred corporate culture within any bureaucracy and it is especially dangerous within an armed bureaucracy.