Defense Secretary Ash Carter helped unveil the official portrait of Leon Panetta, 23rd secretary of defense, this morning during a ceremony in the Pentagon’s center courtyard.
Panetta joined Carter on stage, as did the former secretary’s golden retriever Bravo, who sits beside his master in the DoD portrait, just as the dog is seen in Panetta’s official CIA image.
Panetta served as CIA director from 2009 to 2011, and as defense secretary from July 2011 to February 2013.
The DoD portrait was painted by Stephen Craighead and will hang in the Secretary of Defense corridor.
Son of Italian Immigrants
“Today we recognize the affable son of Italian immigrants who has done so much to secure the American dream for so many, for so long,” Carter said in his remarks.
Carter, who served as Panetta’s deputy defense secretary from October 2011 to February 2013, called Panetta “an American whose service to this country spanned more than 40 years, in roles from soldier to statesman, and a secretary of defense who led DoD at a time of great change for our military, the United States and the world.”
During Panetta’s tenure, Carter said, the former secretary helped end the Iraq War, began the drawdown in Afghanistan “and continued to hand al-Qaida debilitating losses, following on his signature achievement at CIA -- the raid that brought an end to Osama bin Laden.”
Carter also noted how Panetta recognized the contributions of women,gays and lesbians to the nation's security, and helped make the military more respectful and inclusive. Panetta completed the repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” and was the first defense secretary to speak directly to gay and lesbian service members in public remarks, Carter said.
“And in one of his final acts in office,” Carter added, “he lifted DoD's combat ban on women.”
Confronting Emerging Threats
Panetta also recognized the Asia-Pacific’s importance and dynamic security environment, announcing that 60 percent of the Navy would be homeported in the region. And he paved the way for Marine Corps rotations in Darwin, Australia, Carter said.
Panetta envisioned ways to confront emerging threats, oversaw the development of a new defense strategy and helped DoD take seriously the challenges that the department and the nation face in cyberspace, the secretary said.
When he served as Panetta’s deputy, Carter recalled, “Leon said he wanted me to be his alter ego, but I liked to say that while Leon worked the bridge, I manned the engine room.”
A Visionary Approach
Carter said that now that he himself is on the bridge, he values the strong foundation Panetta built on issues Carter is focused on today -- building the force of the future, implementing the next phase of the Asia-Pacific rebalance, leading DoD’s approach to cybersecurity, and many others.
“I’m reminded how well you were served by a robust sense of humor, and I’m beginning to understand why your language was so salty -- sorry, so frickin’ salty,” Carter said to laughter from Panetta and from the audience.
“All of us,” Carter said, “from the senior leaders on the E-ring to the most junior service members around the world, felt palpably just how much he cared for this department and the men and women who serve in it. And we now have the family portrait to remember him by.”
During his remarks, Panetta said it was truly a great honor to serve the nation as secretary of defense.
Smiles Amidst Challenges
“I will be honored to have my portrait [alongside those of] all the former secretaries who served here at the department,” the former secretary said.
“And I'd like to think that as people walk by those portraits and see … the serious faces that go with a very serious job, maybe when they come to my portrait and they look at Bravo, a smile might cross their face,” he added, “in a town where they don't give a hell of a lot of smiles.”
Panetta said that such smiles “ought to be a reminder that in a very troubled world, where we're dealing with so many flashpoints and so many crises and difficult challenges … we can all smile with confidence that we have the strongest and most capable military on the face of the earth, and that whatever mission they're asked to do, they will accomplish that mission.”
(Follow Cheryl Pellerin on Twitter @PellerinDoDNews)