Easter Sunrise Service

Join Arlington National Cemetery and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall for the annual National Military Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday, March 31, 6:30-7:30 a.m.

Published on: Monday, March 4, 2024 read more ...

General Colin Powell (1937–2021) 

colin-powell

Section 60, Grave 11917

General Colin Powell, a Vietnam veteran, was the first African American to hold three of the U.S. government’s highest positions: national security advisor (1987-1989), chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1993), and secretary of state (2001-2005). The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell grew up in the South Bronx and enrolled in Army ROTC during college; he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1958. By 1989, he had risen to the rank of four-star general. Appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October 1989, Powell oversaw U.S. operations in the Persian Gulf War (August 1990 to February 1991). He elaborated the Powell Doctrine, which called for American military force to be used only if it could be overwhelming and decisive. As secretary of state during 9/11 and its aftermath, Powell advocated the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, but later spoke more critically of this decision. Overall, Powell’s leadership transformed American military strategy and diplomacy for the post-Cold War era. His many awards and decorations include two Presidential Medals of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.