Well, technically, you are completely wrong on one thing. The job has not been used as retirement home for party veterans. It was more a "free cabinet job for crown princes" position. Guttenberg was the young shooting star of the CSU before he turned out to be a complete windbag, DeMaiziere was Merkels trustee to clean up Guttenbergs mess, Von der Leyen was Merkels first favourite for a successor (before she turned out to be a complete windbag, but at least she is still good enough for bussels -.-), AKK was ment to be the next chancellor candidate, the last attempt to get a merkelian successor, was installed as a party leader and then immediately needed a place in the cabinet ... well, minister of defense you become. Lambrecht was a rather bland minister of justice in the previous cabinet, but lost the job in the coalition negotiations to the FDP so .... guess what ... minister of defense it is!