Hagel is no more qualified for Sec of Defense than Colin Bowel was when he was promoted to any officer rank he ever held. I can vividly remember him jumping over about 200 more senior officers to become Chairman of the JCS. He was and always has been the face of affirmative action, in and out of the US military. Him stabbing the republican party (without republicans he would have retired a Lt Col at best) and coming out and having the unmitigated gall to say Obama was more qualified to be commander in chief than John McCain, then Romney, should tell anyone this is a man of no integrity whatsover.
You are correct. Gen Emerson never spent five minutes with Powell. Powell is full of BS.