What would you hang on your wall if you were SecDef, Secretary of State, or DNI?

[nerdgirl 0]

A couple weeks ago during his speech at the Army War College, Secretary of Defense Gates commented:

“Behind my desk at the Pentagon are portraits of two Army officers -- Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Marshall.”

The only two pictures that former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had on the wall of his E-ring office were one of President Karzai & him and one of former President Musharraf & him.

Former SecDef William Perry recalled having a portraits of Gen Marshall and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, etchings of Commodore Matthew Perry’s landing in Japan, and pictures from the denuclearization taking place at Pervomaysk, Ukraine. (Pervomaysk was the site of the largest and most modern ICBM field in the former Soviet Union. At it’s height, there were 700 nuclear warheads at Pervomaysk, all aimed at targets in the USA.) [NB: I don’t think former SecDef Perry is closely related to either Commodore Perry]

I think it’s neat to see and to think about what leaders choose to put forth as individuals, moments, or words of inspiration and wisdom or what they select to project significance or importance of their aims, policies, and tenure. It's not something that one often gets a chance to see.

Among other things that were displayed on the walls of the Oval Office, it has been reported that President GW Bush had the words of British Army officer LTC Tim Collin’s Eve-of-battle speech from March 2003. Video of actor Kenneth Branagh recreating Collins' speech from the BBC docu-drama 10 Days to War. It's very good and supposedly was delivered extemporaneously!


I shared my observations with a few folks via PMs. The inspiration for this post came from a PM response from Jason [downwardspiral], asking me what I would put on the wall of my E-ring office. It took me a while to think about who or what I would want (today).

So if you had an E-ring Pentagon office, 8th floor Foggy Bottom (State Dept) office, were the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), or had any other cabinet position, what would you display on your wall & why? Would you care what others thought? Would you try to choose strategically? What message, if any, would you want to send to the folks who work for you? Or for the folks, such as international visitors, that came to see you?

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[rehmwa 2]

Skydiving pics

maybe a swimsuit model, if we could keep her comfortable

and a giant white board for work planning - gotta have one of those

big screen tv

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kelpdiver 2]

the main thought that occurred to me when you had written that was that Rumsfeld thought he was some sort of rock star, while Gates would like to follow in the steps of icons. And I think it sends a much better message to visitors as well.

I suppose we'll need to wait a bit before commenting on their job performances.

[shropshire 0]

Bush's scalp

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[lawrocket 3]

It depends on my job.

Secretary of Defense: Churchill (tough SOB), Reagan (tough SOB and key man for INF) and Washington (tough SOB who laid down his sword when the war was over, and who refused the accept the power that many offered to bestow upon him)

And my Raiders helmet on my desk with a side wall decoration of the photo of Ben Davidson knocking off Joe Namath's helmet in '67.

Secretary of State: Elihu Root (I think this guy is SOOO underappreciated). And my photo of Tom Flores.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[marks2065 0]

Quote

A couple weeks ago during his speech at the Army War College, Secretary of Defense Gates commented:

“Behind my desk at the Pentagon are portraits of two Army officers -- Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Marshall.”

The only two pictures that former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had on the wall of his E-ring office were one of President Karzai & him and one of former President Musharraf & him.

Former SecDef William Perry recalled having a portraits of Gen Marshall and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, etchings of Commodore Matthew Perry’s landing in Japan, and pictures from the denuclearization taking place at Pervomaysk, Ukraine. (Pervomaysk was the site of the largest and most modern ICBM field in the former Soviet Union. At it’s height, there were 700 nuclear warheads at Pervomaysk, all aimed at targets in the USA.) [NB: I don’t think former SecDef Perry is closely related to either Commodore Perry]

I think it’s neat to see and to think about what leaders choose to put forth as individuals, moments, or words of inspiration and wisdom or what they select to project significance or importance of their aims, policies, and tenure. It's not something that one often gets a chance to see.

Among other things that were displayed on the walls of the Oval Office, it has been reported that President GW Bush had the words of British Army officer LTC Tim Collin’s Eve-of-battle speech from March 2003. Video of actor Kenneth Branagh recreating Collins' speech from the BBC docu-drama 10 Days to War. It's very good and supposedly was delivered extemporaneously!


I shared my observations with a few folks via PMs. The inspiration for this post came from a PM response from Jason [downwardspiral], asking me what I would put on the wall of my E-ring office. It took me a while to think about who or what I would want (today).

So if you had an E-ring Pentagon office, 8th floor Foggy Bottom (State Dept) office, were the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), or had any other cabinet position, what would you display on your wall & why? Would you care what others thought? Would you try to choose strategically? What message, if any, would you want to send to the folks who work for you? Or for the folks, such as international visitors, that came to see you?

/Marg

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pictures of arlington cemetary and the wall memorial. Show apreciation to those that gave everything so could have so much

[ryoder 1,590]

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Bush's scalp

What about Cheney's, and Rumsfeld's?

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[wmw999 2,453]

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Bush's scalp

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What about Cheney's, and Rumsfeld's?

Look at their pictures -- they don't have as much hair to grab

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[billvon 3,006]

I'd have a picture of Giordano Bruno, a picture of the SSME high pressure fuel pump and SEM picture of an ARM core. No one would be able to figure it out.

[warpedskydiver 0]

A Mk46 Mod 0 with a WCI Brake on it and an Aimpoint.

That way I could get the peoples business done.

Traitors do not deserve any more time than that.

This as well in case I did not want to make too much noise

http://www.swordsoftheeast.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=120

[nerdgirl 0]

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the main thought that occurred to me when you had written that was that Rumsfeld thought he was some sort of rock star, while Gates would like to follow in the steps of icons. And I think it sends a much better message to visitors as well.

Interesting observation - thanks! The first thought w/r/t SecDef Rumsfeld's choices was how externally directed (foreign) the choices were. The 2nd thought was "Iraq?" Afghanistan and Pakistan were represented.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[nerdgirl 0]

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Secretary of State: Elihu Root (I think this guy is SOOO underappreciated).

Concur. Concur heartily.
Root was very interesting, influential, and effective.

Another one of those moderate Republican Senators from New York, among other positions he held and awards received.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[ryoder 1,590]

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I'd have a picture of Giordano Bruno, a picture of the SSME high pressure fuel pump and SEM picture of an ARM core. No one would be able to figure it out.

During the last administration, if you wanted to put something up there no one could figure out, a copy of The Constitution would have fit the requirement.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[TomAiello 26]

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And my Raiders helmet on my desk with a side wall decoration of the photo of Ben Davidson knocking off Joe Namath's helmet in '67.

Secretary of State: Elihu Root (I think this guy is SOOO underappreciated). And my photo of Tom Flores.

You're a Raiders fan? I knew there was something I liked about you.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[pirana 0]

Strange replies on this one.

I'd have the same thing I have today:

- Pictures of family
- Art from my kids
- A couple of my favorites from Demotivators.com

Maybe what some people posted is also what they have today.

How many of you listed something different than what you have on your walls today? Why the difference?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[rehmwa 2]

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How many of you listed something different than what you have on your walls today? Why the difference?

in today's job I can't afford the swimsuit model. Nor are my walls structured for a chair and/or sling. Also, HR would get complaints.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[nerdgirl 0]

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How many of you listed something different than what you have on your walls today? Why the difference?

Perhaps, ironically (?) … while not on the wall, I do have a picture of Donald Rumsfeld and a talking Donald Rumsfeld doll on one of the bookshelves in my office. The latter was a birthday gift from a guy I was dating a few years ago (a hardcore Republican Navy senior officer), and the former was a departure gift from a colleague.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[lawrocket 3]

Tom - I bleed Silver and Black.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[TomAiello 26]

I had the attached poster hanging over my bed when I was a kid. We've got a bunch of baby pictures of me and my brother in Raiders gear. My dad grew up in a working class town in the East Bay (Antioch), and, well, that's pretty much Raiders country. He's still got his autographed picture of George Blanda hanging on the wall at home.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Amazon 7]

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Tom - I bleed Silver and Black.

Its not how you play the game its wheather you win or lose right councilor

Most Consecutive Seasons Leading League, Most Penalties, 4
Chicago Bears: 1941-44,1946-49
L.A./Oakland Raiders: 1993-96

As of the 2008 season, the NFL record for most penalty yards in a single season is held by the 1998 Kansas City Chiefs who were penalized 1,304 yards. The 1969 Oakland Raiders are second at 1,274 yards.

Seems to be a bit of a pattern.... two-player chop blocks come to mind.

[lawrocket 3]

I believe that you are thinking of the Broncos who have ended a few careers over the last few years by breaking ankles with cut blocks.

I'll put it this way - Chuck Noll called the Raiders the "criminal element" - specifically referring to George Atkinson. Atkinson sued for defamation. Noll issued a written apology because Atkinson and the Raiders had proof that the Steelers (and dolphins and Cowboys) did the same thing. Noll didn't want to call his guys a criminal element.

How much did Manny Fernandez get away with because Shula was the coach? Plenty.

Controversiao calls? Floyd Lytle's fumble? The Immaculate reception? The Tuck Rule?

A couple of years ago, Seahawks fans rightfully pitched a fit about the officiating. All through that game I kept thinking, "Welcome to the life of a Raiders fan."

Heck - the Seahawks were heavily penalized. Hasselbeck got hit with a personal foul while trying to make a tackle. Remember that?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[wmw999 2,453]

If you were really serious, you'd've named your kids Black and Silver .

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)