If you worked for him, or you interacted with him, I can see that you might be loyal to the man in some capacity. But, you have to admit he is now an Obama Political Appointee.
If you want to sing his praises on this board you may find the same opposition. I wish you better luck on the Daily Kos if you want total approval.
I think that you misdirected your response to SLB. Those words were mine. I didn’t work for Shinseki, we were contemporaries. I admired him as a soldier, don’t care much for where he has cast his political lot.