My American Journey

I actually haven’t even finished it yet, but I am really enjoying it ! His narrative flows, it is like having a conversation with a person of integrity and humility, who appreciates everything and everyone in his sphere. He takes you on a walk down memory lane and explains the development of his character and leadership style, molded by experiences. This is a book that I will definitely be circulating through my family.

I confess that I actually purchased My American Journey by Colin Powell by the July 16, 2019 timeframe via Amazon. However, it was several years ago when I was still in the military when I was at a required training school and one of the instructors persuasively explained why Colin Powell would make a good leader for a certain key high level government career. Until then, I had yet to hear of Colin Powell and this instructor referencing why he felt Powell would have made a good leader for a certain political/government position indirectly influenced me to eventually research more info on Powell. Some of the several/compelling details written in Colin Powell’s My American Journey memoir: he experienced a close brush with death once when visiting the home country of his parents, Powell’s parents had a famous wartime photograph of President D Roosevelt with the capital flag in the background hanging in his parents New York apartment foyer, however by 1952 Colin Powell’s father supported former President Eisenhower, the 1981 film/movie Fort Apache The Bronx starring Paul Newman takes place in the precinct where Powell lived growing up, Colin Powell’s family was a matriarchy women called the shots and raised and disciplined the children exception was Powell’s father Luther Powell who is listed to have been the ringmaster of his father’s circle, a sense of direction and purpose increased in Powell when he enrolled in the ROTC program during his earliest college years, Colin Powell’s employment stint after joining International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 812, the doorway into a new life for Powell’s parents after they won $10,000, the first place Colin Powell was stationed at in the military after he was commissioned as an officer and why a more senior officer was advising him to be aware that this particular place was going to be different from New York, his military career began in June 1958, the person Colin Powell voted for in the November 1960 election, a famous musician that Colin Powell met in person during his earlier military years, the circumstances leading to Colin Powell meeting his wife Alma Johnson, Powell’s wife had a father who was a principal one high school and an uncle who was a principal of another high school, why he was a Lyndon B Johnson supporter in the summer of 1964, some circumstances that indirectly influenced him to vote for Regan in November 1980, the experiences of helping one of his sons through their military service, Colin Powell’s assignment as deputy assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and much more.

I enjoyed the book, and learning about his life. He’s frank and honest. Especially when he shares the challenges of being away in the military and his babies and children not knowing him, and having to get acquainted. I believe this book should be read by high school students. The reason I say that, is because he shares how he became what he is today, and the how he made the decisions. I considered him to be a good, decent hard working man who has done very well for himself. I loved his honesty regarding changing from an Engineering degree to Geology; which placed him on the path of meeting a ROTC, to becoming a Four Star General and serving in Washington D.C.. It’sa great story.

This autobiography covers Collin Powell's life from early childhood through retirement from the Army, with a few post-Army experiences. At the time of its writing he clearly did not anticipate serving as Secretary of State or in any other future high-visibility position. It was the intended capstone of his public career. The book is well-stocked with a readable selection of anecdotes from Powell's family, military and political lives. Perhaps of even greater value are the lessons Powell draws from these experiences. Some are succinct, like Powell's Rules written on scraps of paper kept on his desk. They include "Get mad, then get over it," "Officers always eat last," and "Share credit." Others are longer statements of personal philosophy or perspective. Here are nine of Collin Powell's hard-won lessons: - "Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off." - "Never be without a watch, a pencil, and a notepad." - "Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership." - "With vision only, you get no follow-through. With enforcers only, the vision is realized, but leaves a lot of wreckage. Good chaplains pick up the pieces and put everything together again." [On three complementary leadership styles.] - "I had long since learned to cope with Army management fashions. You pay the king his shilling, get him off your back, and then go about doing what you consider important." - "The staff meeting served one useful purpose, however. It stroked the participants' egos and made them feel like part of the team." - "There was a lot of talk about Powell the `reluctant warrior.' Guilty. War is a deadly game and I do not believe in spending the lives of Americans lightly." - "The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise." - "Reject the easy path of victimhood. Dare to take the harder path of work and commitment, a path that leads somewhere." There are longer lessons, too. Along with thoughtful portraits of military and political leaders, on-the-ground accounts of historical events, and candid assessments of U.S. military capability from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. Powell is critical while remaining respectful, and cautionary while remaining optimistic. His own account of his life and service to his country is worth reading and enjoying. It is highly recommended.

ただ冷徹な将軍というだけでなく、感情豊かな1人のアメリカ人のサクセスストーリーとしても秀逸。政治姿勢的には父ブッシュに一番近かったようだが、エピローグで、それまで全く語られなかった政治姿勢が明らかにされる。パウエル将軍は、良質かつ穏健な保守、という言葉で総括できるのであろう。狂信的な愛国主義は手に負えない、民族主義闘争に対して大国は無力であるという観点はハルバースタムに通じるものがある。パウエルにしても、ハルバースタムにしても、このような健全な愛国主義が日本でもなぜ根付かないのかがあたしは不満。

Habe viel dazugelernt.

Fascinating. I spent 12 years in the Canadian Army (Regular) duriing the same time as Gen Powell was active in the US Army. I never had a shot fired at me in anger but served in W. Germany (tanks) from 1962 to 1965, during the Cuban missile crisis. Therefore I cannot relate to his time in Viet Nam, but appreciate all that the US Forces did albeit losing the conflict. This book, for me, was a page turner. Capt. (ret'd) Brian Caldwell, CD P.S. This was the second war the US has lost - the first was the war of 1812 against my country.

At times it was boring

A true hero to me!