Colin Powell was born and raised in New York with parents that valued the importance of working hard and doing one’s best. Powell attended the City College of New York and during that time, joined the ROTC. In doing so, he earned the rank of commander and graduated as a cadet colonel.
After college, he joined the U.S Army as a second lieutenant. Then he served two hours of duty in the Vietnam war. Though he was wounded, he continued to serve. He earned special recognition for his bravery and his actions on November 16, 1968. On that day a plane crashed. Powell managed to escape the burning plane. Even though he was wounded, he returned to the wreckage several times to help the other soldiers. He received many rewards