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Colin Powell Facts

Colin Powell Facts
Colin Powell is a retired former National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command. He was born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York City, to Maud Arial and Luther Theophilus Powell, both Jamaican immigrants to the United States. Colin was raised in South Bronx and graduated from Morris High School in 1954. While in school Colin worked at a furniture store and learned Yiddish. Colin earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from New York's City College in 1958. He also earned an MBA in 1971 from George Washington University, after having already served a second tour in Vietnam.
Interesting Colin Powell Facts:
Colin Powell was a victim of a booby trap while serving in Vietnam. His right foot was pierced by a tick when his leg fell into a shallow hole. The sharp stick penetrated his boot and went into his foot. This trap was called a punji stick booby trap and was smeared with animal feces to try to cause infection. Colin did become infected but was treated and healed.
Colin Powell met Elvis Presley while serving in Germany - twice! Colin Powell said that Elvis was shorter than he would have expected.
There is now a street named after Colin Powell in Gelnhausen, Germany.
From 1972 to 1973 Colin Powell served a White House Fellowship. The president at the time was Richard Nixon.
Colin Powell attended National War College from 1975 to 1976.
Colin Powell served at Fort Carlson, Colorado in the early 1980s and then went on to become Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger's senior military assistant.
Colin Powell assisted Caspar Weinberger in the invasion of Grenada in 1983, and the Libyan airstrike in 1986.
Colin Powell took over V Corps in Frankfurt, Germany in 1986 as commander.
Colin Powell became Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor in 1987 at the age of 49. He held this position until 1989.
In 1989 Colin Powell was promoted to a four-star general. The president at the time was George H. W. Bush. He briefly served as Commander in Chief.
Colin Powell was only the third general since the Second World War to be given four-star rank without ever having been a division commander. The other two were Alexander Haig and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Colin Powell's last military post was from 1989 to 1993, when he served as 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This is the highest position held in the Department of Defense in the United States.
Colin Powell was the first Afro-Caribbean American to hold the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While serving as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell oversaw the 1989 invasion of Panama, Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Colin Powell was nicknamed the 'reluctant warrior' as he didn't advocate military intervention as first solution when a crisis occurred internationally.
Colin Powell was known for preferring diplomacy and containment as opposed to military action.
Colin Powell retired as Secretary of State under George W. Bush in 2005.


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