I remember what John Kerry said in an interview after he was in the job a couple of weeks....and I am paraphrasing:

I never realized how into everything the president needs to be in before one can procede.

If the new defense leader is not in lock step with Obama's agenda he too will be out of a job. In addition to the preceding 3 secretaries of defense, the street is littered with generals, admirals and commanders who dared to be off script.