Granting General Mattis a Waiver

[Bengalzona]

(12-05-2016, 12:01 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: When the DOD was created after WWII, the law stated that any former officers must wait 10 years after retiring from the military before becoming the Secretary of Defense. In 2008, it was changed to 7 years. The idea is that this means that our military is civilian run.

However, one of the first Secretaries of Defense was George Marshall, who (technically) was still active duty but, technicality aside, had ended his active role only 2 years prior to becoming the Secretary of Defense in 1950.

So the question is this: is there a good argument for not granting Mattis, who has been retired for 4 years, a waiver? He is extremely qualified and there precedent is there. What will make him even more of a civilian in 3 years?

I don't have a problem with him specifically. 

I do have a problem with the precedent it sets.