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Feb. 20, 2006 Over the course of time, African-Americans have served with great distinction in both the military and civil service. Among those who helped pave the trail was Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the first black general officer in the US Armed Forces and an instructor of military tactics at Tuskegee and Wilberforce universities; his son, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a Tuskegee Airman who became the first black general in the US Air Force and headed the air marshals program during the 1970s; and Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr., the first black officer to hold the rank of admiral in the US Navy and the first black officer to command a fleet. Colin Powell fits into this rich tradition and earns status as a Living Groundbreaker on three distinct counts. He was the first African-American to ever serve as National Security Advisor. He was the first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And he was the first African-American to ever serve as Secretary of State. Born on April 5, 1937, in The Bronx to Jamaican immigrants Luther and Maud Powell, Colin Powell was educated in New York City’s public school system. While working toward a bachelor’s degree in geology at City College of New York, Powell participated in ROTC. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the US Army after graduating from CCNY in 1957. Powell’s military career spanned over 35 years, and included tours of service in West Germany, South Vietnam and South Korea, as well as stateside duty at several locations, including Fort Campbell in Kentucky and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. It was during his days in the military that Powell got his introduction to life inside the Capital Beltway. After getting his MBA from George Washington University in 1971, he received a White House Fellowship in 1972, which gave him an opportunity to work for a year as a special assistant to senior government leadership. In Powell’s case, he worked for Frank Carlucci, who at that time was Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. From 1979 to 1981, he served as an executive assistant Secretary of Energy Charles Duncan, Jr., and as the senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. When Ronald Reagan succeeded Jimmy Carter as president in 1981, Powell worked with Carlucci again, this time to help with the Defense Department’s transition team. From 1983 to 1986, he served as the military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. In 1987, while on assignment as commander of the Fifth Corps in Germany, Powell was recalled to Washington by Frank Carlucci, his boss during his White House fellowship, to help reorganize the National Security Council. Carlucci, who became National Security Advisor after the Iran-Contra Affair, worked with Powell to reshape the Council and reduce the possibility of freelance foreign policy. When Carlucci took over as Secretary of Defense from Caspar Weinberger later that year, Powell became the National Security Advisor, serving in that position until 1989. President George H.W. Bush named him the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and in the process, he was promoted from Lieutenant General to General, that same year. Colin Powell’s military and civil service spurred his desire to engage in community service. In April, 1997, he chaired the President’s Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia. Then-President Bill Clinton attended the conference, along with former presidents Bush, Carter and Ford, former First Lady Nancy Reagan, and numerous other dignitaries from local, state and federal levels. As a result, America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, was founded on the Five Promises designed to help young children succeed in life and give adults opportunities to guide and mentor them. Powell served as the organization’s first chairman until 2001, when he was confirmed to serve as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. During his time inside the Beltway, Powell received his share of praise and criticism for his work. Though he was a dovish military leader, preferring the use of sanctions and other non-violent means to resolve international issues, Powell publicly supported his superiors when they opted for military solutions. That includes his opposition to Operation Desert Shield (later Operation Desert Storm), which put the United States toe-to-toe with Iraq after that country invaded Kuwait in 1990, and his opposition to military force in dealing with a rejuvenated Saddam Hussein prior to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. It is believed that his devotion to containment ultimately put him out of favor with the younger Bush’s White House and led to his resignation as Secretary of State in November, 2004. Ironically, that cleared the way for Dr. Condelezza Rice to become the first African-American woman to serve as Secretary of State. Powell also received criticism from some African-Americans who believed his ties to Republican leadership meant that he walked lockstep with that party’s conservative ideals. In some circles, that earned him the label of “Uncle Tom”, a black person who is seen as servile or submissive to whites. But Powell, a moderate Republican, has indicated that he is pro-choice when it comes to abortion and supports affirmative action, both considered liberal ideals. He has also spoken highly of those African-Americans who have made military service their life, despite its inherent dangers. His service has earned him a number of accolades. Military decorations include the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star. Civilian honors include two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the Boy Scouts of America’s Silver Buffalo Award, and an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. Colin Powell has faced racism and controversy in his life, but he did not let that stop him from leaving his mark as a career military officer and public servant. For his accomplishments, he receives distinction as a Living Groundbreaker. ------------ About the author: Claxton Graham has written a number of articles for Useless Knowledge. He works as a business systems analyst. Email: scifiwriter8502@email.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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