As told by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates to the cadets of the US Air Force Academy on April 2, 2010:

http://www.defense.gov/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1443

Scroll down about half way.  The “to be or to do” speech is a few paragraphs before the end.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am that John is finally receiving recognition from the Defense Establishment.  Now you may think it’s pushing things a little to call Bob Gates a member of the defense establishment, and perhaps you’re right, considering that he spent nearly his entire career as an intelligence professional.  But he’s been SECDEF for going on four years now and was also an Air Force officer, commissioned from OTS in 1967. That ought to do it.

I think John would be delighted, also, although (curmudgeon that he was) he’d try to hide it.