“Our nation is at war, and to know Bob (Gates) is to know his profound sense of duty -- to country, to our security, and most of all, to our men and women who get up every day and put on America’s uniform and put their lives on the line to keep us safe and to keep us free. ...

“Bob Gates made it his mission to make sure this department is serving our troops in the field as well as they serve us. And today we see the lifesaving difference he made -- in the mine-resistant vehicles and the unmanned aircraft, the shorter medevac times in Afghanistan, in our determination to give our wounded warriors the world-class care they deserve.”