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Legendary retired Marine Gen. James “Mad Dog” Mattis is possibly the most quoted general of the post-9/11 era. Perhaps his most cited quote is the maxim, “Be polite, be professional, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

It’s designed to convey that Marines are supposed to be professional warriors, who are cordial but never complacent. Have you ever considered that maxim literally?

We did.

Recently, Mattis, under consideration for the position of secretary of defense in the incoming Trump Administration, met with the soon-to-be president at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Task & Purpose’s illustrator, Matt Battaglia, went about drawing what it must be like to be Mattis interacting with an unsuspecting New Jersey gas station attendant. Because you know, you can’t pump your own gas in New Jersey. So, does Mattis have a plan to kill the gas station attendant? Obviously.

Task & Purpose illustration by Matt Battaglia

Marine Corps photo