Of the cabinet appointments nominated so far, Gen. James Mattis, known to his troops as "Mad Dog Mattis," is receiving the most bipartisan support to become President-elect Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense.

The nonmilitary friends and Marine veterans I've talked to since the announcement like what they've seen and heard of the 66-year-old four-star general.Before retiring from the Marine Corps in 2013, Mattis' long resume includes leading the 1st Marine Division into Iraq in 2003 and commanding the U.S. Central Command which covers the Middle East, a most crucial piece of foreign policy. President Barack Obama reportedly decided to force Mattis out early because he rubbed some civilian officials the wrong way, and held differing views regarding Iran.Like Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump's choice to become National Security Adviser, Mattis has been critical of the current administration's agreement reached last year with Iran over its nuclear program. Mattis is on record as saying "political Islam" needs to be combated. Destruction of the terrorist group ISIS has been a consistent talking point for the president-elect.In making the announcement last week, Trump called Mattis the "real deal" who reminds us of Gen. George S. Patton, the legendary tank commander in Europe during World War II.Trump is not alone in his praise. The Marine Times has called Mattis the "most revered Marine in a generation," and Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Armed Service's Committee, called him an extraordinary leader who inspires his troops and clearly understands the many challenges facing the Department of Defense, the U.S. military, and our national security.Within the military, Mattis is seen as soldier's soldier who inspires men as Patton did. Troops began calling him "Mad Dog Mattis" before the second battle of Fallujah, one of the hardest fights of the Iraq War.The lifelong bachelor has also been called the "warrior monk" because of his knowledge of ancient and military history. But there is much more to this hard-charging Marine than his swagger, blunt language and colorful nicknames.While known for his intensity on the battlefield, the general has a cerebral side and is a scholar of warfare, evidenced by a personal library containing more than 7,000 volumes.He issued required reading lists to Marines under his command, and in a letter to the 1st Marine Division, stated that the most important territory on a battlefield is the space "between your ears."The night before the March 2003 Iraq invasion, he wrote this to his soldiers: "You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon."When a colleague reportedly asked him about the "importance of reading and military history for officers," who found themselves "too busy to read," Mattis' response went viral:"The problem with being too busy to read is that you learn by experience (or by your men's experience), i.e. the hard way. By reading, you learn through others' experiences, generally a better way to do business, especially in our line of work where the consequences of incompetence are so final for young men. …"Thanks to my reading, I have never been caught flat-footed by any situation, never at a loss for how any problem has been addressed (successfully or unsuccessfully) before. It doesn't give me all the answers, but it lights what is often a dark path ahead. …"Ultimately, a real understanding of history means that we face NOTHING new under the sun. …"We have been fighting on this planet for 5,000 years and we should take advantage of their experience. 'Winging it' and filling body bags as we sort out what works reminds us of the moral dictates and the cost of incompetence in our profession. As commanders and staff officers, we are coaches and sentries for our units: how can we coach anything if we don't know a hell of a lot more than just the (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures)? What happens when you're on a dynamic battlefield and things are changing faster than higher (Headquarters) can stay abreast?"In a Marines video posted two months ago, Mattis revealed his "leadership lessons" from his 41-year long career in the corps."It's not popularity - with all the favoritism that comes with trying to be a popular person as a leader. That's a road to failure," Mattis said. "But affection that you create in a unit, an affection so strong that the troops will stick by one another and carry out the mission, even in peril."Mattis also stated that he doesn't lose any sleep at night over the potential for failure; that he cannot even spell the word.His words are reflective of the kind of character and qualities of leadership that the high cabinet position as defense secretary requires.By Jim Zbick |

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