Growing Up in Chicago
Donald Rumsfeld was a little boy who lived in Chicago. He lived in a nice house with his mom, dad, and sister Joan. His dad was in the Navy, so they moved around a lot. But Chicago was always home!
Young Donald loved to play sports. He was really good at wrestling and football. He went to New Trier High School where he became the captain of the football team. He was also really smart and got good grades.
A Special Day
One sunny morning, Donald's dad took him to see the planes at the Navy base.
"Wow, Dad! Look at all the airplanes!" Donald said, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Maybe someday you'll fly one of these," his dad smiled.
Little did they know, Donald would grow up to be in charge of all the planes – and much more!
Going to College
Donald worked hard and got into Princeton University. That's a really big school! He kept wrestling there and was so good that he became team captain.
But something happened that changed everything. His dad got sick, and Donald had to work extra hard to help pay for school. He didn't give up! He worked as a waiter and did other jobs to stay in college.
“If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right,” Donald’s dad always said.
First Steps into Politics
After college, Donald joined the Navy just like his dad. He learned how to fly planes and became a flight instructor. ✈️
Then one day, he had a big idea. He wanted to help make rules for our country. So he decided to run for Congress. That means he wanted to be one of the people who helps make laws.
Winning the Big Race
Donald worked really hard to win his election. He went door to door to meet people. He told them his ideas about making America better. And guess what? The people liked him! They voted for him to be their Congressman.
He moved to Washington D.C. with his wife Joyce and their little kids. They had three children: Valerie, Marcy, and Nick.
Donald was different from other politicians. He wasn't afraid to speak up when he thought something was wrong. He wanted to make sure the government spent money wisely and kept America safe.
Some days were hard. Sometimes people didn't agree with his ideas. But Donald remembered what his dad taught him – to always try his best and never give up.
Making Big Changes
In Congress, Donald worked on lots of important things. He helped make sure our soldiers had good equipment. He also worked to make the government better at helping people.
"We need to be smart about how we do things," he would say in meetings. "And we need to be ready for anything that might happen."
People started to notice how hard Donald worked. Even the President knew who he was! This was just the beginning of Donald's big adventure in helping run our country.
Now, more exciting things were about to happen. Donald was going to get an even bigger job, one that would change his life forever…
A Special Job Offer
One morning in 1973, Donald Rumsfeld got a very important phone call. President Nixon wanted to see him!
“Mr. Rumsfeld,” said the President, “I want you to be our Ambassador to NATO.”
Donald smiled. NATO was a big group of countries that worked together to keep peace. This was a really important job! ✈️
Moving to Belgium
Donald and his family packed their bags and moved to Belgium. That’s where NATO had its main office. It was like moving to a new school, but much bigger!
Learning New Things
Donald had to learn lots of new things in his job. He met people from many different countries. Some spoke different languages!
“We need to work together to keep peace,” Donald would say in meetings.
He worked hard to help all the countries be friends and work as a team. It wasn’t always easy, but Donald never gave up.
A Big Surprise
Then something unexpected happened. President Ford called Donald back to America. He had an even bigger job for him!
“I want you to be the Secretary of Defense,” President Ford said. “That means you’ll help protect our whole country!”
The Youngest Secretary
At age 43, Donald became the youngest Secretary of Defense ever! That means he was in charge of:
- All the soldiers in the Army
- All the sailors in the Navy
- All the pilots in the Air Force
- All their planes, ships, and tanks
Making Big Decisions
Donald worked hard to make our military strong. He wanted to make sure America was safe during the Cold War. The Cold War wasn’t a real war with fighting – it was more like a big disagreement between America and the Soviet Union.
“We need to be strong,” Donald would say, “but we also need to be smart.”
Working with Friends
Donald made many friends around the world. He visited different countries and talked to their leaders. He helped them work together to keep peace.
Sometimes he had to make hard choices. But he always tried to do what was best for America and its friends.
Learning Important Lessons
Being Secretary of Defense taught Donald many things. He learned that:
✨ Working together makes everyone stronger
✨ It’s important to listen to different ideas
✨ Being prepared is the best way to keep peace
Getting Ready for Change
After President Ford left office, Donald’s time as Secretary of Defense ended too. But he wasn’t done helping America! He had new adventures waiting for him.
Donald was about to learn that sometimes the best way to serve your country is to try something completely different. He was going to leave politics for a while and try his hand at running big companies…
The Business World Beckons
After leaving the government, Donald Rumsfeld tried something new. He went into business!
A Company That Needed Help
In 1977, Donald became the boss of a company called G.D. Searle. The company made medicines to help sick people feel better. But the company had big problems!
“This company needs new ideas,” Donald told his team. “We can make it better!”
Making Big Changes
Donald worked hard to fix things. He was like a doctor helping a sick patient get well! He:
- Sold parts of the company that weren’t doing well
- Hired smart people to help
- Made new medicines that could help more people
- Found better ways to save money
Success Stories
Soon, amazing things started happening! The company began making more money. People were happy to work there again.
“Look how far we’ve come!” Donald would say proudly to his workers.
Learning New Skills
Running a big company taught Donald lots of new things:
How to fix big problems
How to help people work together
How to make smart money choices
Making Friends in Business
Donald met many smart business people. They shared ideas and helped each other. It was like having a big team of friends!
“In business,” Donald would say, “good friends are as important as good ideas.”
Helping Other Companies
Other companies asked Donald to help them too! He joined special groups called “boards” where he gave advice to other business leaders.
Staying Connected
Even though Donald was busy with business, he kept thinking about how to help America. He talked to important people about big ideas:
How to make America stronger
How to help businesses grow
How to keep America safe
A Different Kind of Leadership
Being a business leader was different from being in the government. But Donald used many of the same skills:
“Whether you’re helping a country or a company, you need to be brave and smart,” he would say.
Getting Ready for More
Donald did so well in business that people started to notice. They remembered how good he was at helping the government too. Maybe someday, they thought, the country would need his help again…
Nobody knew it then, but Donald would have another chance to serve his country. And all the things he learned in business would help him make important decisions that would change history!
Back to the Pentagon
The year was 2001. Donald Rumsfeld got an important phone call. President George W. Bush wanted him to be Secretary of Defense again!
A New Challenge
Donald was excited! He knew the Pentagon building well. It was like going back to visit an old friend. But things were different now. The world had changed a lot.
“We need to make our army stronger and faster,” Donald told his team. “We need new ideas!”
Making the Army Better
Donald had big plans. He wanted to:
- Use more computers and smart machines
- Make soldiers better at fighting
- Help the army move faster
- Keep America safer
A Scary Day
Then something terrible happened. On September 11, 2001, bad people attacked America. Donald was in the Pentagon when it happened!
“We must be strong,” Donald told everyone. “We will protect our country!”
Working Hard to Keep America Safe
After the attack, Donald worked extra hard. He:
Helped plan how to catch the bad guys
Made sure soldiers had good tools
Talked to other countries about helping
New Ways to Fight
Donald knew they needed new ways to fight the bad guys. He wanted the army to be smart and quick, like a cat chasing a mouse!
“We need to be faster and smarter than our enemies,” he would say.
Helping Soldiers
Donald cared about the soldiers. He wanted to make sure they had:
✨ Good armor to protect them
✨ Special trucks that were safe
✨ The best tools to do their job
Making Hard Choices
Sometimes Donald had to make tough decisions. Not everyone liked all his choices. But he always tried to do what he thought was best for America.
Teaching Others
Donald liked to help young people learn about being leaders. He would tell them:
“Being a leader means being brave enough to make hard choices when you need to.”
Working with Friends
America had many friends around the world. Donald worked with them to make everyone safer. It was like having a big team!
Changes in the Army
The army changed a lot while Donald was in charge. They got:
Better computers
Faster airplanes
Smarter ways to work together
Donald was working harder than ever. But bigger challenges were coming. The whole world was watching to see what America would do next…
Fighting the Bad Guys
The sun rose over the Pentagon on a busy morning. Donald Rumsfeld had a lot of work to do. The War on Terror was in full swing.
Looking for Clues
Donald and his team worked hard to find the bad guys who hurt America. It was like solving a big puzzle!
“We need to be smart and careful,” Donald told his helpers. “We must find the right pieces.”
Two Big Jobs
Donald had to help fight in two places:
• Afghanistan – where the mean people who hurt America were hiding
• Iraq – where another bad leader was causing trouble
Helping Our Soldiers
Donald wanted to make sure our brave soldiers had everything they needed:
️ Strong helmets and vests
️ Special trucks that could stop bombs
️ Good food and water
New Ways to Fight
Donald tried new ideas to catch the bad guys. He used:
Special flying robots to look for danger
Smart bombs that hit only bad guy places
Fast teams of brave soldiers
Talking to Everyone
Donald had to tell people what was happening. Sometimes it was hard to explain:
“There are things we know we know. There are things we know we don’t know. And there are things we don’t know we don’t know!”
Working with Friends
America needed help from other countries. Donald talked to lots of leaders around the world.
Tough Choices
Sometimes Donald had to make hard decisions. Not everyone agreed with him. But he always tried to keep America safe.
Special Tools
Donald helped give our soldiers new tools:
⚡ Better radios to talk to each other
⚡ Night glasses to see in the dark
⚡ Fast boats and planes
Watching and Waiting
Finding the bad guys took a long time. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack!
“We must be patient,” Donald would say. “But we will never give up!”
Staying Strong
The fight was hard. But Donald kept working to protect America. He wanted to make sure no one could hurt us again.
Moving Forward
As the wars went on, Donald learned many lessons. Some things worked well. Other things needed to change. But he never stopped trying to make things better.
The world was watching America closely. Everyone wanted to know what would happen next…
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Donald Rumsfeld sat in his cozy study, looking at old pictures on his desk. He had worked for a long, long time to help keep America safe.
Things People Said
Some people thought Donald did a great job:
“He made our army stronger and smarter!” they said.
Others disagreed with his choices:
“He could have done some things differently,” they would say.
Big Changes He Made
• Made the army faster and smarter
• Used new tools like computers and robots
• Helped soldiers work better together
Teaching Others
Donald wrote books to share what he learned. He wanted to help future leaders make good choices.
Important lessons he shared:
✨ Always be ready for surprises
✨ Listen to good advice
✨ Keep learning new things
Special Memories
Donald remembered many special moments:
Meeting brave soldiers
Working with President Bush
Helping make America stronger
What People Remember
Being strong when America was hurt on 9/11
Making big changes in how we protect our country
Never being afraid to try new ideas
Looking to Tomorrow
Even after leaving his job, Donald kept thinking about America’s future:
“We must always be ready to protect our country and our friends,” he would say.
His Big Ideas Live On
Many of Donald’s ideas are still used today:
Smart ways to find danger
Better tools for soldiers
Working well with other countries
Always Learning
Donald believed we should always keep learning and getting better. He showed us that even when things are hard, we must keep trying.
A Special Thank You
The brave soldiers who keep us safe
The people who work hard to protect America
The importance of being ready for anything
As the sun set on Donald’s long career, he knew that America would stay strong. New leaders would come with new ideas. But the lessons he taught would help guide them forward.
The most important thing Donald learned was that keeping America safe takes everyone working together. When we all help each other and stay strong, nothing can stop us!
And so, Donald Rumsfeld’s story became part of America’s big story – a story that keeps going, with new chapters being written every day. The end of his chapter was just the beginning of new adventures for America.