How did Colin Powell go from the Army to Secretary of State?

Colin Powell. Son of Jamaican immigrants who rose from City College ROTC to 4-star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, then became a bestselling author, youth-mentoring champion and the first Black U.S. Secretary of State.

In the military

Commissioned second lieutenant through ROTC at City College of New York, 1958; 35 years of service; 2 Vietnam tours (adviser 1962 to 1963; major, 1968 to 1969), wounded by a punji-stick trap and injured in a helicopter crash; decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Soldier’s Medal and Legion of Merit; National Security Adviser 1987 to 1989; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1989 to 1993 (first African American in the role); retired as a 4-star general in 1993.

The transition

• Retired from active duty in 1993 after 35 years.
• Wrote the memoir My American Journey (1995) and toured widely; declined to run for president in 1996.
• Founded and led America’s Promise Alliance with his wife Alma from 1997, applying military-style mentoring to youth.
• Described the shift as moving from training young soldiers to training ‘a slightly younger age group’ against drugs, neglect, apathy and ignorance.
• Returned to government as Secretary of State in 2001, unanimously confirmed.

What came next

• 65th U.S. Secretary of State, 2001 to 2005, the first African American in the post.
• Founding chair of America’s Promise Alliance (1997).
• Bestselling memoirs My American Journey (1995) and It Worked for Me (2012).
• Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York bears his name; Presidential Medal of Freedom (twice).

In Powell’s own words

“The Army has been my home. The Army has been my life.” (Fresh Air interview, 1995)

“I liked the structure. I liked the discipline. I liked the uniform.” (Fresh Air, 1995, on ROTC at City College)

“It was a love affair with the army that didn’t even end upon retirement.” (Fresh Air, 1995)

“We are stewards of the lives of the sons and daughters of the American people.” (Fresh Air, 1995, on military leadership)

“For thirty-five years of my life, I was committed to training young people for the day when they might have to risk their lives in defense of this country and the cause of freedom.” (Essay ‘General Colin Powell Reflects on)

“Today, I am helping to train a slightly younger age group to prevail in a different struggle”

Lessons for your own transition

• Keep your identity separate from your rank: Powell’s own rule warns against letting your ego fall with your position.
• Reframe the mission instead of ending it; Powell described his post-Army youth work as training a younger group for a different struggle.
• Your military reputation is a civilian asset, but it took a memoir, speaking and nonprofit work to translate it before his next government role.

More veterans who made the leap

See them all, and practical steps for leaving after a long career: How do I transition from the military to civilian work after 30 years?.