The Civil Radical Battles of the Black American Soldier

The story of Colin Luther Powell is the epitome of the American Dream. Colin Powell was born to Jamaican immigrant parents in New York’s Harlem borough at a time when African Americans were given very few opportunities to succeed. However, Colin Powell would go on to defy the odds to serve in the highest position in the United States Military and become the first African-American Secretary of State. Colin Powell is one of the most admired and respected people in the United States, and he has served under Republican and Democratic Presidents even though he considers himself a Republican. Throughout his military and political career, Colin Powell has been very influential in the United States Military and Government. 

 

Throughout Powell’s career, he followed his own 13 Rules of Leadership. Powell used these thirteen rules to guide him throughout his career.

Powell’s thirteen rules of leadership are as follows:

1. It ain’t as bad as you think.

2. Get mad, then get over it.

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

4. It can be done.

5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it

6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

7. You can’t make someone else’s choices, 8. Check small things.

9. Share credit.

10. Remain calm.

11. Have a vision.

12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

These thirteen rules of leadership guided Powell in every decision he made throughout his career.

Colin Powell’s military career is a very long and distinguished career that eventually culminated in Powell becoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the United States military. His military career got its start after he graduated from City College when he became Second Lieutenant and went to basic training at Fort Benning. His first assignment was with the 48th Infantry in West Germany, where he was a platoon leader. During his first tour in Vietnam, which lasted from 1962 to 1963, he was a Captain who served as a South Vietnamese Army Advisor.  While on his first tour, he was patrolling a Viet Cong area and he stepped on a Punji Stake wounding him which also shortened his first tour. His second tour of duty in Vietnam lasted from 1968 to 1969. On his second tour, he was an Army Major at thirty-one years old, and his assignment was to investigate the My Lai massacre. This event was when three hundred civilians were killed by the United States military. During this tour, he was injured when the helicopter he was in crashed. However, he still rescued his comrades from the wreckage. For his bravery and valor, Powell was awarded the Soldier’s Medal. 

Colin Powell’s military career is a very long and distinguished career that eventually culminated in Powell becoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the United States military. His military career got its start after he graduated from City College when he became Second Lieutenant and went to basic training at Fort Benning. His first assignment was with the 48th Infantry in West Germany, where he was a platoon leader. During his first tour in Vietnam, which lasted from 1962 to 1963, he was a Captain who served as a South Vietnamese Army Advisor.  While on his first tour, he was patrolling a Viet Cong area and he stepped on a Punji Stake wounding him which also shortened his first tour. His second tour of duty in Vietnam lasted from 1968 to 1969. On his second tour, he was an Army Major at thirty-one years old, and his assignment was to investigate the My Lai massacre. This event was when three hundred civilians were killed by the United States military. During this tour, he was injured when the helicopter he was in crashed. However, he still rescued his comrades from the wreckage. For his bravery and valor, Powell was awarded the Soldier’s Medal.

In 1993, Powell retired from the Army. Throughout Powell’s career in the United States Army, he has earned many military decorations. He has earned thirty-four U. S. Awards sixteen of which are unique, and ten badges. He has also won seven foreign awards. Some of the awards Powell has received are the Soldier’s Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, and a Purple Heart.

Retirement from the Army

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Gen. Colin Powell salutes as U.S. President Bill Clinton stands by 30 September 1993 during retirement ceremonies for Powell at the Fort Myer army base parade grounds. Powell served over thirty-five years in the military and the last four as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Photo credit – J. DAVID AKE/AFP/Getty Images)

Command is lonely.” – Colin Luther Powell 

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CNN

US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Langley was promoted to the rank of general in a ceremony Saturday, becoming the first Black four-star general in the military branch’s 246-year history.

Langley will take command of the US Africa Command, which oversees the nation’s military presence in Africa, in a change of command ceremony at its Germany headquarters on Monday.

Speaking after the ceremony at Marine Barracks in Washington, DC, Langley said he was “humbled and honored for the opportunity to take on the stewardship of command of AFRICOM” as a four-star general.

“But the milestone and what it means to the Corps is quite essential. Not just because of the mark in history, but what it will affect going forward, especially for those younger across society that want to aspire and look at the Marine Corps as an opportunity,” he added.

Langley was nominated by President Joe Biden for the promotion in June. The US Senate confirmed his promotion to four-star general by a voice vote earlier this week.

In remarks during Saturday’s ceremony, Langley paid homage to “those who have gone before,” recognizing Frederick C. Branch, the first commissioned Black Marine, and the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to enlist in the Marines who trained at a segregated facility in Montford Point, North Carolina.

He also spoke of the importance of diversity in the military to “maintain a decisive advantage over our strategic competitors.”

The Marine Corps had refused to recruit African Americans and other minorities until a 1941 executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that “forced the Corps, despite objections from its leadership,” to start recruiting Black Marines the following year.

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Langley graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and has served with the Marine Corps since 1985.

He has commanded at every level and served on multiple continents, being deployed to countries such as Japan and Afghanistan throughout his career.

He most recently served as commander of the US Marine Corps Forces Command and Marine Forces Northern Command and as commanding general of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic.

CNN’s Jacqueline Germain and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.