Topeka ? Citing the example of his parents, teachers and fellow Kansan Dwight D. Eisenhower, Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised his home state Friday for literally preparing him for the world.

“I will always consider myself first and foremost a kid from Kansas who got lucky,” he told a crowd of more than 500 in Topeka where he was honored as 2009 Kansan of the Year.

“I have now worked for eight presidents. Whatever I have accomplished I believe has been to my Kansas roots and heritage. The boy left Kansas. But Kansas never left the boy,” Gates said, breaking into tears to close his remarks.

The honor was presented by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas during celebration of the state’s 149th birthday. The organization works to preserve Kansas history and presents the award annually on the anniversary of statehood.

Gates was born in Wichita and graduated from Wichita East High School. He grew up in the 1940s and 1950s traveling the state with his parents, and life revolved around family. He also became emotional recalling track coach Bob Timmons and lessons Timmons taught about how to treat people, something Gates said he tries to emulate in the Pentagon.

“What is special about us as a breed is something of a well-kept secret,” he said of Kansans.

Gates has served as defense secretary since 2006, first under President George W. Bush and now in the administration of President Barack Obama. He served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed for a time at Whiteman Air Force Base in northwest Missouri.

Gates recently returned from Pakistan, where he held talks about putting more pressure on the Taliban along the border with Afghanistan. On Friday, he was joined in Topeka by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the former Democratic governor of Kansas.

During his remarks, Gates spoke briefly about the current U.S. wars, saying Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas were both playing a key role in deploying soldiers to combat and preparing the next generation of officers for leadership.

Regarding Eisenhower, Gates said the former general and president demonstrated “prudence and levelheadedness” at a time when the Kansan was trying to satisfy his superiors, maintain civility among the branches of the military and gain respect of U.S. allies.

“In the end, Ike didn’t do too badly,” Gates said. “But the true marvel was President Eisenhower’s determination that we ought not buy more for defense than we really need, an arena where his credibility was unchallengable.”

Eisenhower coined the phrase “military industrial complex” during his farewell address as president, warning against purchasing arms in pursuit of foreign policy.

Previous Kansans of the Year have been Russell native and 1996 Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, and Fort Scott native Gordon Parks, who became known as a photographer, activist, filmmaker and writer.