“Both of them are likely to be more careful about committing the nation to a path of warfare, based on their experiences," he said. "I think they’ll be more conservative, as opposed to hawkish, but in a good way.”

Varying perspectives

Kerry and Hagel’s military views are said to mirror the president's. Some analysts say that leaves little room for constructive debate.

"I do worry about group think," said James Carafano, a retired Army officer, who now works with the Heritage Foundation.

“I do worry about people who see the world too similarly marching off into the future just because they’ve got these kinds of blinders on as to things that don’t fit with their world view,” he said.

Anthony Cordesman - now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies - has worked for past secretaries of defense, and said Kerry and Hagel's views are shaped by more recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.

“It’s not going to be philosophy here, it’s going to be a very cold, hard, military analysis of relative risk. This is something the president is capable of and certainly both senators are capable of,” said Cordesman.

Kerry breezed through his confirmation for secretary of state. Hagel is expected to have a tougher path to confirmation.