Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and its my responsibility to make it better…Tom McCall
The word “Hero” is an ancient Greek word, meaning protector or defender. It was often attributed to a mortal without divinity, that accomplished something so extraordinary, they were considered God-like.
As a young man, I had dreams of becoming a great soldier and statesman. You can find many men to which to avail yourself in each of those categories, but none encompassed both in modern times as much as Colin Powell. Sure, I had historical figures to seek out, ie. Roosevelt, Washington, Churchill, and Eisenhower. Yet, in Powell, I didn’t need to imagine his stature, voice, or presentation as he was there for me to view in real life.
Colin Powell, a son of Jamaican immigrants Luther and Maud Powell, was born in Harlem in 1937. He had a fairly unremarkable childhood but was most certainly shaped by his parents’ work ethic and dogged sense of creating a world for him; that was better than theirs.
He went on to attend New York City College and graduated with a degree in Geology. He was admittedly, a C student. While there, he discovered the ROTC- Reserve Officer Training Core. He loved it and excelled. And so begins one of America’s most storied military and public servant careers.
In 1963, Lieutenant Powell was sent to Vietnam as a part of President Kennedy’s Advisory Force. He would be injured, earn two medals, and return 6 years later as a Major, serving as Chief of Staff of Operations for the 23rd Infantry Division. He would be injured again in a helicopter crash and earn the Soldier’s Medal for bravery in saving the lives of three of his fellow soldiers.
Powell’s career continued its meteoric rise from the end of the Vietnam War till his appointment as Secretary of State. His Curriculum Vitae reads like a fantasy list of a young officer’s career. He served as 101st Airborne Brigade Commander, V Corps Commander, US Army Forces Command, and was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest position attainable in the American Military). He was awarded 21 US and 7 foreign medals in his career, astonishing.
As a public servant, General Powell served as the Deputy US National Security Advisor and National Security Advisor under Reagan, and Secretary of State under George W Bush. He was the first black American at nearly every one of these positions.
It is impossible in a mere six paragraphs, to condense the career and accomplishments of this great man. This article could take a deep dive into Powell’s incredible life and impress any reader, but that’s not the point here. If you want to learn more about his amazing traverse, give My American Journey- Colin Powell by Joseph E Persico a read.
Powell was more than a General and more than a Statesman. He was possibly the last of the true American male archetype. An alpha man with unthinkable dignity and honor. One who puts service above all others. One who will not temper his demand for excellence in everything he does. A man who is uncompromising in his belief in his country and what it stands for, despite it not always standing for him.
Colin Powell was my hero. I would imagine myself wearing his uniform and speaking with his gusto and confidence in that legendary baritone voice. I could genuinely see myself demanding that amount of adoration and respect from my soldiers. I was driven to work hard and to navigate my career the way he did and go through all of the same training schools, Airborne, Air Assault, Pathfinder, etc. HOOAH!
I wonder who the young men today are looking to for this example. In an increasing demagoguery world, traditional men who are strong, protect, and have a sense of pride and country, are no longer viewed as men to emulate. These men are critiqued by en vogue phrases such as “toxic masculinity.” Society seems to support every race, gender, and any plethora of identification, but not the traditional alpha American male. There is room and need to support all, but we don’t need less masculinity, we need a lot more.
American life today is unusual in a historical context. We are truly in a uniquely prosperous, safe, and untroublesome time to be alive. People often need to create problems in order to feel alive and to feel “human.” Our freedoms, our laws, and our way of life all deserve a portion of that credit for sure. However, frequently overlooked are the men and women who have historically kept the barbarians at the gate and protected this country so well, that our citizens have no concept of what a real threat is. One day, those barbarians will come, and if we don’t have men with the traits of Colin Powell, the American Experiment will be no more.
Heroes aren’t everything, Colin Powell wasn’t perfect as I’m sure he would opine himself. What he did do was exemplify those qualities that persist in heroes….bravery, selflessness, grit, and sense of duty & honor. We are born needing heroes as human beings. Not one single person can attribute their position in life without heroes sacrificing and nurturing us when we were young.
In modern times, we suffer apex negativity and the new world thought informing us that traditional thinking and having an archetypal hero is superfluous and foolhardy, but I would strongly challenge this sentiment. Heroes not only save us, but they also validate our cultural worldview, and we need that as the glue that holds us together in a world where the casual Twitter provocateur tears us apart daily.
Heroes give us optimism and hope for a better tomorrow. Hope is not a strategy, but it is essential for a better tomorrow and success in any venture in life. The world around us is fraught with terrible news, catastrophe, chaos, war, famine, and any number of other atrocious possibilities. Heroes prove to us that no matter how much evil exists, the good in the world eventually triumphs.
Heroes expand our sense of what is possible. All of our lives are full of personal betrayal and betrayal of our sense of ideals. Because of this, we develop deep cynicism over time. The cure for this cynicism is a realistic understanding of the nature of man. All of our heroes have flaws, but we forgive those frailties and focus on the key attributes that made them heroes to begin with.
We are left to ponder..what is the next generation of Americans looking for in their heroes? Are they admiring those who possess the qualities we traditionally associate with heroes, or are they seeking out shallow Youtube stars and celebrities? What kind of men would admiring these characters lead to? We can only help by amplifying those currently in the public domain who possess many of these qualities, Dwyane Johnson being a great example.
Heroes don’t need to be public figures, in fact, they can be very close to home. My military aspirations didn’t rest only with the example of Colin Powell. My grandfather fought in WW2. My Great Uncles Hugh and Bobby were killed in Normandy and Pearl Harbor respectively. My Uncle Joel fought in Vietnam.
“Be The Person You Needed When You Were Young”
The key to solving the hero deficit crisis is not seeking them, it’s becoming them. I was gobsmacked recently by a quote I read “be the person that you needed as a child.” We need to seek within to be the ultimate version of ourselves, and then become a hero to those who need us. People are rarely aware of how much they are actually admired and revered by others. There are individuals in everyone’s life that depend on you for strength and the will to go on, and you perhaps have not a clue.
Colin Powell didn’t decide as a youth to be a hero to anyone. He pursued a life of excellence and principle. Through his achievement and selflessness, he inspired countless young men like myself. It’s up to us, the individuals to live our lives in a more exemplary fashion based on strength, honor, compassion, selflessness, and dignity. Be the hero someone needs, they are counting on you.
Nice article 👍 interesting facts about Colin Powell that I’d never known, a sharp pivot to an alpha American male - sensitive topic in these times, patriotic-nationalist values and sentiments - I get, pivot to heroes and their importance - liked it, sharp comment on ‘shallow YouTube stars and celebrities” lol, ending quote - “be the person you needed when you were young” - loved it, pretty cool.
"A man who is uncompromising in his belief in his country and what it stands for, despite it not always standing for him," is a great description of him and a true distinction of him as a hero. Great article!