Leadership Colin Powell
Ret. General Colin Powell
As a Non Commissioned Officer in the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard, I realize the importance and value of good leadership. A leader has to be able to understand and support their men, have initiative, be quick on their feet, and accept responsibility for their actions. The personal traits that I look for in a leader are courage, commitment, candor, competence, and integrity. Out of these the most important one to me, is integrity. A man’s word is his bond and the most important leadership trait there is. Looking back, the man I see as a great leader that possesses these traits is Ret. General Colin Powell. Colin Powell is one of the greatest military leaders in this country’s history. He served this country for forty-six years, going from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Secretary of State under President George W. Bush the 43rd President of the United States. He began college at the City College of New York, and he decided to join their ROTC program where he managed to prove himself as a leader and achieved the rank of Cadet Colonel. He graduated college and began the start of his military service in 1958. In 1962 he was sent on his first tour of duty in Vietnam, and ended up receiving a Purple Heart after falling victim to a booby trap (Achievement.org, 2010). In 1968 he was sent back to Vietnam for his second tour where he was sent to investigate the My Lai massacre. While on this tour he was involved in a helicopter crash. Powell showed the courage and the commitment for his comrades that even injured managed to save the other soldiers. At the age of 31, Colin Powell was looked upon to investigate a massacre that could have ruined the careers of the soldiers that were being held accused (Biography.com, 2010). Still Powell managed to keep his composure and showed that he had the competence and candor to make a sound, unbiased, judgment. After Colin Powell’s time in Vietnam he was shipped off to Washington D.C. where he
As a Non Commissioned Officer in the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard, I realize the importance and value of good leadership. A leader has to be able to understand and support their men, have initiative, be quick on their feet, and accept responsibility for their actions. The personal traits that I look for in a leader are courage, commitment, candor, competence, and integrity. Out of these the most important one to me, is integrity. A man’s word is his bond and the most important leadership trait there is. Looking back, the man I see as a great leader that possesses these traits is Ret. General Colin Powell. Colin Powell is one of the greatest military leaders in this country’s history. He served this country for forty-six years, going from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Secretary of State under President George W. Bush the 43rd President of the United States. He began college at the City College of New York, and he decided to join their ROTC program where he managed to prove himself as a leader and achieved the rank of Cadet Colonel. He graduated college and began the start of his military service in 1958. In 1962 he was sent on his first tour of duty in Vietnam, and ended up receiving a Purple Heart after falling victim to a booby trap (Achievement.org, 2010). In 1968 he was sent back to Vietnam for his second tour where he was sent to investigate the My Lai massacre. While on this tour he was involved in a helicopter crash. Powell showed the courage and the commitment for his comrades that even injured managed to save the other soldiers. At the age of 31, Colin Powell was looked upon to investigate a massacre that could have ruined the careers of the soldiers that were being held accused (Biography.com, 2010). Still Powell managed to keep his composure and showed that he had the competence and candor to make a sound, unbiased, judgment. After Colin Powell’s time in Vietnam he was shipped off to Washington D.C. where he
Bibliography: Kakutani, M.(2006).Tracing colin powell’s journey, both in and out of step with those around him. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/books/10kaku.html Biography.com.(2010). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/articles/Colin-Powell-9445708 Achievement.org.(2010). Retrieved from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/pow0bio-1