Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
In 2010, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates established himself as a model public servant. The only Republican in President Obama’s cabinet, Secretary Gates was bigger than played out partisan politics, making bold, reasoned choices to address gender bias, fiscal restraint, reinventing the military for the 21st century and overturning “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He inherited two wars that have deeply divided college students nationwide, but Secretary Gates and the college audience have always been in lock step on a critical principal: doing what’s best for our troops and a new generation of veterans. mtvU salutes Secretary Gates for being a beacon of reason in a sea of polarizing soundbytes.
