Defense Secretary James Mattis is likely the most beloved SecDef in history, and for good reason. From his legendary Marine Corps career to his love of literature and philosophy, James Mattis is a renaissance man in the shell of a hardened warrior who never forgot where he came from…
…Just don’t call him “Mad Dog.”
Mattis recently allowed IJR’s Benny Johnson to shadow him for a short time at the Pentagon, revealing quite a bit about the fighting man’s SecDef, including that he does his own laundry in the basement of the Pentagon and makes time to interact with his subordinates.
“I treat the people inside that building like my family,” he said. “When I go down to get my laundry in the basement, I factor in ten extra minutes every trip just so I can talk with people. Ya know, they see me coming down the hallway and want to ask something, they should be able to. We work just like a family.”
Unlike many of the powerful figures in DC, Mattis carries his own bags. When asked by Johnson why he doesn’t have an aide carry his burden for him, Mattis simply looked down at his open palms.
“Well, I have two hands, don’t I?” he asked rhetorically.
According to Johnson, Mattis dislikes the “Mad Dog” moniker bestowed upon him, preferring his old callsign of “Chaos.”
“You know, that [Mad Dog] is not my real callsign? That was something made up by the press,” he said. “Some reporter, who needed a quick name for me. My real name is Chaos. ‘Colonel Has An Outstanding Solution.’ That is my real callsign and what my men used to call me. Anyone who has ever worked with me calls me Chaos. That’s the name I prefer.”
Mattis reportedly leaned in toward the dumbstruck reporter after explaining his callsign.
“Call me Chaos,” Mattis said with a wink before walking away.
No matter what you think of the current administration, it is really difficult to dislike James Mattis.
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