Career Timeline of Colin Powell: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Colin Powell built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Colin Powell (1937-2021) was a prominent American statesman and four-star general. He served as the 65th U.S. Secretary of State (2001-2005), the first African American to hold that position. Previously, he was National Security Advisor (1987-1989) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1993), the highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. Powell's career was marked by his involvement in major foreign policy decisions and military operations from the Reagan to the George W. Bush administrations, though his presentation to the UN Security Council in 2003 regarding Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction remains controversial.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1958: Commissioned as Second Lieutenant

In 1958, Colin Powell graduated from City College of New York and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

1960: Group Liaison Officer

From 1960, Colin Powell served as group liaison officer, company executive officer, and commander of Company A, 1st Battle Group, 4th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

1962: Vietnam Tour as Advisor

From 1962, Captain Colin Powell served a tour in Vietnam as a South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) advisor.

1962: Group Liaison Officer

Until 1962, Colin Powell served as group liaison officer, company executive officer, and commander of Company A, 1st Battle Group, 4th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

1968: My Lai Massacre Investigation

In 1968, Colin Powell investigated a letter alleging the My Lai massacre. His assessment was later criticized as a whitewash.

1968: Return to Vietnam

In 1968, Colin Powell returned to Vietnam as a major and served as assistant chief of staff of operations for the 23rd (Americal) Infantry Division. He was awarded the Soldier's Medal for bravery after rescuing three others from a helicopter crash.

1971: Master of Business Administration Degree

In 1971, Colin Powell earned a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

1971: MBA from George Washington University

In 1971, Colin Powell graduated from George Washington University with an MBA.

1972: White House Fellowship

From 1972, Colin Powell served a White House Fellowship under President Richard Nixon.

1973: End of White House Fellowship

Until 1973, Colin Powell served a White House Fellowship under President Richard Nixon.

1975: Attended National War College

From 1975, Colin Powell attended the National War College, Washington, D.C.

1976: Command of 2nd Brigade

From 1976, Colin Powell commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division.

1976: Attended National War College

Until 1976, Colin Powell attended the National War College, Washington, D.C.

1977: Command of 2nd Brigade

Until 1977, Colin Powell commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division.

June 1979: Promotion to Brigadier General

On June 1, 1979, Colin Powell was promoted to brigadier general.

1983: Invasion of Grenada

In 1983, as senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Powell assisted during the invasion of Grenada.

November 1985: Legal Assessment of Hawk Missile Transfer

In November 1985, Colin Powell solicited and delivered a legal assessment to Weinberger stating that the transfer of Hawk missiles to Israel or Iran, without Congressional notification, would be a clear violation of the law.

November 1986: Exposure of Iran-Contra Affair

In November 1986, the Iran-Contra affair was exposed in a Lebanese magazine, "Ash-Shiraa", revealing the unlawful transfer of missiles from Israel to Iran.

1986: Command of V Corps

In 1986, Colin Powell took command of V Corps in Frankfurt, Germany.

1987: National Security Advisor

From 1987, at the age of 49, Colin Powell became Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor.

April 1989: Promotion to Four-Star General

In April 1989, Colin Powell was promoted to four-star general under President George H. W. Bush and served as Commander in Chief, Forces Command (FORSCOM).

October 1989: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman

In October 1989, Colin Powell was appointed as the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, the highest military position in the United States Department of Defense.

October 1989: Appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

In October 1989, Colin Powell was assigned as the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, marking the beginning of his tenure in the highest military position in the Department of Defense.

1989: Commander of U.S. Army Forces Command

In 1989, Colin Powell became the commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command.

1989: End of Term as National Security Advisor

In 1989, Colin Powell finished his term as Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor.

1989: National Security Advisor & Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

In 1989, Colin Powell finished his term as the 15th National Security Advisor and also became the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1989: Chief of Staff

In 1989, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson becomes Powell's aide-de-camp and Chief of Staff.

1990: Operation Desert Storm

In 1990, Colin Powell oversaw Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War against Iraq.

1991: Operation Desert Storm

In 1991, Colin Powell continued to oversee Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War against Iraq.

1991: Application of the Powell Doctrine in Operation Desert Storm

In 1991, Powell applied his military approach, known as the Powell Doctrine, to Operation Desert Storm. This approach emphasized maximizing the potential for success and minimizing casualties through the use of overwhelming force.

1992: Potential Vice Presidential Nominee

In 1992, Powell was considered as a potential Democratic vice presidential nominee or even a replacement for Vice President Dan Quayle as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

September 1993: End of Tenure as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

In September 1993, Colin Powell's assignment as the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff concluded, ending his service in the highest military position in the Department of Defense.

September 1993: End of Term as Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman

In September 1993, Colin Powell's assignment as the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman came to an end.

September 1993: Early Resignation as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

In September 1993, Powell's growing irritation towards Secretary of Defense Leslie Aspin led to his early resignation as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1993: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

In 1993, Colin Powell finished his term as the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1995: Published Autobiography

In 1995, Colin Powell wrote his autobiography, "My American Journey".

My American Journey

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1996: Decline to Run for President

In 1996, despite leading New Hampshire polls for the GOP nomination, Powell declined to run for president, citing a lack of passion for politics.

1997: Founding of America's Promise and Establishment of The Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service

In 1997, Powell founded America's Promise to help children from all socioeconomic sectors and The Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service to prepare new generations of publicly engaged leaders.

December 2000: Nomination for Secretary of State

In December 2000, President-elect George W. Bush named Colin Powell as his nominee to be Secretary of State in a ceremony at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

2000: Consideration as Presidential Candidate and Endorsement of George W. Bush

In 2000, Powell was mentioned as a potential candidate in the U.S. presidential election but decided against running. He later endorsed George W. Bush for president and spoke at the Republican National Convention.

2000: Statement about Saddam Hussein's Regime

In 2000, on the day he was nominated to be Secretary of State, Colin Powell told the press that Saddam Hussein was "sitting on a failed regime that is not going to be around in a few years time".

January 2001: Confirmation as Secretary of State

In January 2001, Powell was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as Secretary of State and ceremonially sworn in.

February 2001: Statement on Sanctions Against Iraq

In February 2001, Powell stated that sanctions against Iraq had prevented the development of any weapons of mass destruction by Saddam Hussein.

September 2001: Response to 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

In September 2001, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Powell was in Lima, Peru. Afterward, his role became critical in managing relationships with foreign countries to secure a stable coalition in the War on Terrorism.

2001: Secretary of State

In 2001, Colin Powell became the 65th United States Secretary of State, and was the first African-American to hold the office.

2001: Appointment as Secretary of State

In 2001, George W. Bush appointed Powell as Secretary of State, beginning his tenure in the Bush administration.

2001: Disagreement on Action Against al-Qaeda

In 2001, before 9/11, Richard A. Clarke pushed the Bush administration for action against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, a move opposed by Paul Wolfowitz.

February 2003: Address to the United Nations Security Council

In February 2003, Powell addressed the United Nations Security Council, arguing in favor of military action against Iraq, asserting that Saddam Hussein had biological weapons and was working to obtain key components to produce nuclear weapons.

February 2003: United Nations Presentation

Powell gave a presentation to the UN in February 2003, making the case for military action against Iraq. He later said that the sources who provided much of the information in the presentation were "wrong" and that it was "unlikely" that any stockpiles of WMDs would be found.

2003: Timing of U.S. Forces in Iraq Surge

In 2003, Powell concluded that a surge of U.S. forces in Iraq should have come sooner, perhaps in late 2003.

2003: Role in Building the Case for the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Powell played a role in building the case for the invasion of Iraq.

2003: Support for Decision to Invade Iraq

In 2003, Powell supported the decision to invade Iraq.

May 2004: Comments on My Lai

In May 2004, Colin Powell commented on the My Lai massacre to Larry King, stating that such horrible things happen in war but are still to be deplored.

September 2004: Powell Describes Darfur Events as Genocide

In September 2004, Colin Powell labeled the events in Darfur as "genocide," making him the first cabinet member to use the term for an ongoing conflict.

September 2004: Testimony Before Senate Committee

In September 2004, Powell testified before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, acknowledging that the sources who provided much of the information in his February 2003 UN presentation were "wrong" and that it was "unlikely" that any stockpiles of WMDs would be found.

November 2004: Resignation as Secretary of State

In November 2004, Colin Powell resigned from his position as Secretary of State shortly after George W. Bush was reelected, after Bush communicated his desire for Powell to resign via a phone call. Condoleezza Rice was nominated as his successor the following day.

2004: Resignation as Secretary of State

In 2004, Colin Powell resigned from his position as Secretary of State after George W. Bush was reelected.

April 2005: Expresses Reservations About John Bolton Nomination

In April 2005, after retiring from his role as Secretary of State, Colin Powell privately expressed reservations to Republican senators Lincoln Chafee and Chuck Hagel about the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, but did not explicitly advise them to oppose Bolton.

April 2005: Accusations of Campaign Against Bolton

On April 28, 2005, an opinion piece claimed that Powell was "conducting a campaign" against Bolton due to past disagreements, including Bolton allegedly spying on Powell.

2005: End of term as Secretary of State

In 2005, Colin Powell finished his term as the 65th United States Secretary of State.

January 2006: Participates in White House Meeting

On January 5, 2006, Colin Powell participated in a White House meeting with former Secretaries of Defense and State to discuss United States foreign policy with Bush administration officials.

September 2006: Sides with Senate Republicans on Detainee Rights

In September 2006, Colin Powell sided with moderate Senate Republicans, supporting more rights for detainees and opposing President Bush's terrorism bill, expressing concerns about the moral basis of the fight against terrorism.

December 2006: Expresses Skepticism About Iraq Troop Surge

In December 2006, Colin Powell expressed skepticism about the strategy of the Iraq War troop surge and questioned whether the U.S. military had enough troops to carry it out successfully.

2007: Discusses Iraq War with President Bush

At the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, Colin Powell stated that he had spent two and a half hours explaining to President Bush "the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers".

2007: Joins Revolution Health Board

In 2007, Colin Powell joined the board of directors of Steve Case's new company, Revolution Health and also served on the Council on Foreign Relations Board of directors.

2007: Position on Iraq War Troop Surge

In 2007, Powell had an inconsistent position on the Iraq War troop surge.

2007: Donates to John McCain's Campaign

In the summer of 2007, Colin Powell donated the maximum allowable amount to John McCain's campaign.

October 2008: Praises Iraq Troop Surge and Iraqi Government

Following his endorsement of Barack Obama in October 2008, Colin Powell praised General David Petraeus and U.S. troops, as well as the Iraqi government, concluding that "it's starting to turn around".

October 2008: Endorses Barack Obama for President

On October 19, 2008, Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for President, citing his ability to inspire, inclusive campaign, and style, while also questioning McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as vice president.

December 2008: Reiterates Belief About Palin's Impact on Republican Party

In a December 12, 2008, interview, Colin Powell reiterated his belief that during the last few months of the campaign, Sarah Palin pushed the Republican party further to the right and had a polarizing impact on it.

2008: Spokesperson for National Mentoring Month

In 2008, Colin Powell served as a spokesperson for National Mentoring Month, a campaign held each January to recruit volunteer mentors for at-risk youth.

2008: Reiterates Support for 2003 Iraq Invasion

In a 2008 interview on CNN, Colin Powell reiterated his support for the 2003 decision to invade Iraq in the context of his endorsement of Barack Obama.

2008: Mentioned as Possible Running Mate for McCain

In early 2008, Colin Powell's name was listed as a possible running mate for Republican nominee John McCain's bid during the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

July 2009: Expresses Concern Over Federal Spending

In a July 2009 CNN interview, Colin Powell expressed concern over President Obama increasing the size of the federal government and the size of the federal budget deficit.

September 2009: Advises Against Surge in Afghanistan

In September 2009, Colin Powell advised President Obama against surging U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

2009: Concludes U.S. Forces in Iraq Surge Should Have Come Sooner

By mid-2009, Colin Powell concluded that a surge of U.S. forces in Iraq should have come sooner, perhaps in late 2003.

January 2010: Supports Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

In January 2010, Colin Powell supported the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

September 2010: Criticizes Obama Administration's Focus on Economy

In September 2010, Colin Powell criticized the Obama administration for not focusing "like a razor blade" on the economy and job creation.

2010: Joins Smithsonian Advisory Council

In 2010, Colin Powell joined the Smithsonian advisory council and was an advocate for the National Museum of African American History and Culture with his wife, Alma Powell.

November 2011: Acknowledges Sound Decisions by Obama

In a video that aired on CNN.com in November 2011, Colin Powell said in reference to Barack Obama, "many of his decisions have been quite sound. The financial system was put back on a stable basis".

October 2012: Endorses Obama for Re-Election

On October 25, 2012, Colin Powell endorsed President Obama for re-election, citing his administration's success and Mitt Romney's changing positions and economic plans.