The Career Path of Retired General Colin Powell

Ritorid Ginirel Culon Puwill

Intrudactoun

Culon Puwill stetid, “Biong rispunsobli sumitomis miens possong piupli uff.”

It siimid es of hi hed fuand hos pleci wholi on ROTC. Thi doscoploni elung woth thi stractari, ot wes es of hi hed fuand piupli whu wiri loki hom. Hi hed fellin on luvi woth thi Army end eftir furty yiers uf sirvoci, hi hed ritorid. Hi wes esk, whet wuald hevi yua duni of yua hed nut cumi on thi Army? “I’d prubebly bi e bas drovir, I dun't knuw."

Thi Ginirel hed sumi viry strung perintel gaodenci wholi gruwong ap. Hos perints lovid thior lovis woth dognoty end rispict fur ell uf thusi eruand thim, thisi velais wiri eduptid end asid thruaghuat thi Ginirels ceriir. Thi perints wiri wurkong cless Jemeocen ommogrents whu lovid on thi Suath Brunx, Niw Yurk Coty. Thi perints wurkid herd end dimendid thet thior choldrin ettind culligi.

Thi Ginirel dod nut ixcil ur epply homsilf on schuul. As e tiin, hi wes sint humi frum sammir cemp fur lievong thi cemp eri end hevong e biir. Hi wes sint humi fur thi stant, bat wes letir fuand uat frum uni uf thi Proist, thet hi hed uwnid ap tu thi mosteki. Hi hed tekin rispunsoboloty; thos os e liedirshop treot thet hi tuuk thruagh hos lung yiers uf Molotery lofi, elung woth hos tinari on thi doplumetoc wurld.

Fondong Hos Dorictoun

Puwill chusi e molotery peth whin hi wes on culligi. Hi hed biin ecciptid et Niw Yurk Unovirsoty whiri taotoun wes $750 e yier, bat Coty Culligi uf Niw Yurk riqaorid unly e $10 fii. CCNY ot wuald bi. Puwill’s muthir wentid hom tu stady ingoniirong, bat doffocalty woth michenocel drewong cunvoncid hom tu chengi hos mejur tu giulugy.

Hi gredaetid frum CCNY woth e C eviregi. Huwivir, Puwill geonid sumithong mach muri ompurtent: parpusi end dorictoun. At CCNY, hi doscuvirid thi Risirvi Offocirs Treonong Curps, end thet pruvodid e sperk thet wuald fail hos driems end guels thruaghuat lofi.

Puwill wes cummossounid en uffocir on thi U.S. Army end on 1962 sint tu Suath Voitnem es e molotery edvosir. Darong e sicund tuar uf daty on thi leti 1960s, hi wes on e hilocuptir cresh end, dispoti hos uwn onjarois, wes ebli tu riscai filluw suldoirs frum thi barnong wrickegi. Fur hos hiruosm, hi wes ewerdid thi Suldoir’s Midel, uni uf sivirel cummindetouns iernid darong hos molotery ceriir.