Colin Powell was born in Harlem, New York, to Jamaican immigrant parents. He was educated at City College of New York, George Washington University, and the National War College. In 1958 he became an army infantry officer. He served in Vietnam from 1962 to 1963 and again from 1968 to 1969. Powell served as brigadier general of the 101st Airborne Division (1976­77), as assistant division commander of the Fourth Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado (1981­83), and as military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense (1983­86). He was also one of the organizers of military actions in Grenada and Libya. In 1987 President Ronald Reagan appointed Powell to head the National Security Council. In 1989 President George Bush appointed Powell to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the first African American officer to hold that position. Powell was a key leader of U.S. forces during Operation Desert Storm. In 1993 he retired from the military. Despite public support for the idea, Powell declined to run for president in 1996. He remains active supporting national volunteer campaigns.
