Defense Secretary Robert Gates sees an active role in developing and reviewing plans as one of his core responsibilities. Similarly, his successor will have to immerse himself in the DOD planning process. There are barriers to the Secretary’s involvement but also benefits beyond simply the production of plans. Today’s iterative plan development and review process, functioning under the Adaptive Planning rubric, is a significant improvement over pre–Goldwater-Nichols practices as well as those of the 1990s and early 2000s. It would be easier for combatant command planners if the Secretary did not take a hands-on approach, but it would come at a cost to national security. The process found under Adaptive Planning cannot succeed without the Secretary’s involvement now and going forward.