Here's a short story:

Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command at the Pentagon, appears to be the top choice to replace outgoing Secretary Chuck Hagel. 

Barring any last minute complications, Ash Carter will be President Barack Obama's choice as the new Secretary of Defense, several U.S. administration officials told CNN. 

An administration official had said that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, a former General Counsel at the Pentagon, was also still on the list of possibilities, but on Tuesday morning, sources said Johnson was no longer being considered. The prospect of an additional confirmation hearing for Johnson's replacement if he were to move to the Pentagon as the Senate switches to Republican control would have been problematic for the White House. 

Related: Was Hagel doomed from the start? 

Hagel announced his resignation last week, but has said he will stay on until his successor is confirmed by the Senate. 

Carter, who served as Deputy Defense Secretary under both Leon Panetta and Hagel, would bring a wide range of experience to a department confronting multiple crises in the Middle East and preparing to enter a new phase in Afghanistan as the NATO combat mission ends. 

Carter's ability to hit the ground running from his past experience at the Pentagon, in addition to the respect many senior military leaders have for him are seen as major benefits to winning confirmation should Obama nominate him. 

"His career has sort of prepared him perfectly for this kind of a moment," says Michael O'Hanlon, a defense industry analyst at the Brookings Institution.  (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: who is the homeland security secretary?
Guess: Jeh Johnson

Question: who resgined last week?
Guess: Hagel

Question: how long will he stay?
Guess: until his successor is confirmed

Question: by?
Guess: the Senate

Question: who is the president in question here?
Guess: Barack Obama

Question: who is his choice as the new secretary of Defense?
Guess: Ash Carter

Question: what was carter doing before?
Guess: second-in-command

Question: where?
Guess: Pentagon

Question: what is one benefit for him?
Guess: the respect many senior military leaders have for him

Question: who has he served under?
Guess: Leon Panetta and Hagel

Question: as?
Guess: Deputy Defense Secretary

Question: has his career prepared him?
Guess: yes

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: according to who?

Michael O'Hanlon,