General Colin Powell, who passed away this week from complications of COVID-19, is remembered throughout the national security community as a distinguished public servant and American statesman. As the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first Black secretary of state, Powell broke barriers, shaped history, and reset the rules for how American military force should be deployed in the post-Vietnam era. In honor of his legacy and impact, we are joined this week by Jack Rives, who served alongside General Powell when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Jack Rives reflects on Powell’s legacy, his tremendous impact on the national security community across both sides of the aisle, and pays tribute to a man of great honor, achievement, and character.
Jack Rives, Executive Director of the ABA
Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state
Articles
Colin L. Powell Embodied the American Dream” Wall Street Journal. Oct. 20, 2021
“Colin L. Powell’s Thirteen Rules of Leadership” U.S. Department of State. Oct. 18, 2021
Books
Powell, Colin L. My American Journey. Penguin Random House, 1995. Powell, Colin L., and Tony Koltz. It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership. Harper Perennial, 2014.