I think that it's very important that whoever is in office can trust the U.S. military to provide him with advice in private so that advice is not then used by somebody to try to criticize the president or try to influence the outcome.
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., USMC, Says the Military's Mission in Afghanistan Will Continue to Change As the War Winds Down / Budget Uncertainty Continues in 2014 / Be Tax-Savvy - (Military Officer - December 2013)