American Valor Quarterly Issue 10 - Summer 2013 | Page 20

NSA Photo

failures: what do I
look like, a fool?
And I don’t like to
identify
the
biggest
hit
because then I’m
doing a disservice
to the second and
third and fourth
biggest hits. But I
saw so many
examples of great
leadership and the
that
General Powell gained his greatest acclaim for his service as Chairman ones
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1990-91 Gulf War. Coalition impressed me the
forces achieved an overwhelmingly decisive victory, liberating Kuwait most were the
while sustaining limited casualties.
people who were
some way to serve the next relatively quiet leaders. They
generation, just as you are the next essentially ran an organization with a
generation. And so I am pleased to relatively light touch. They weren’t
see you all here today. I’m so pleased light or soft: they just didn’t need to
that you are enjoying this wonderful scream and shout a lot. And so I
program that has been put together always was impressed by somebody
by the Veterans Center and I’m going who knew what was going on in the
to have to leave in a few minutes for organization, somebody who
another talk, but before I leave I’d like dedicated their whole being to the
to see if anyone would like to ask a followers and the success of the
question or two before I go.
organization and wasn’t a show-off
and didn’t scream and shout. Those
Question: Sir, Cadet Haskins, United are the kinds of people that get the
States Military Academy. Uh, two most out of followers. Followers
things sir. First, your high school GPA wanna believe in somebody. But they
was above mine, so I assure you, you don’t want to believe in a phony. They
could have gotten in to West Point. don’t want to believe in a shouter and
screamer. They want to believe in
General Powell: You’re one of me, someone that is as human as they are,
man!
but is the leader. And that’s the model
I’ve always tried to follow.
Question: Secondly sir, in your 35
years, 3 months, and 28 days in the One of my favorites in all of this is
United States Military what was the President Reagan, and in my new
best example of leadership you ever book I have a story about President
witnessed?
Reagan that’s one of my favorite
stories. It’s called, “Squirrels.” True,
General Powell: You know, that’s a I’m sorry, that’s the name of the
very hard question to answer, ‘cause chapter, “Squirrels.” And it comes
I saw so many, and to single out one from a morning in 1988 when I was
does a disservice to the others. I get national security advisor and I went
questions like that all the time. What in to see President Reagan. I had a
was your greatest hit; what was your problem, a terrible problem. So I went
biggest failure? I never talk about my into the Oval Office. He was sitting

in his chair and I was sitting on the
couch across from him. You know the
scene very well. And I started telling
him about this problem. “Commerce
and Defense and State are all arguing,
Mr. President. It’s really complicated;
it’s terrible; it’s tough.” And I really
started laying it out to him, and he’s
paying absolutely no attention to me.
He’s looking over my shoulder out
into the Rose Garden, the beautiful
doors, French doors. I talk louder,
“Mr. President, you know this is really
bad, you know, something’s gotta be
done.” No attention. He’s looking
over my shoulder out into the Rose
Garden. So finally I’m out of things
to say. So I think I better leave,
something’s wrong here.
And suddenly he jumps and says,
“Colin! Look, look, the squirrels just
came and got the nuts I put in the Rose
Garden this morning!” (pause)
“What?” I said, “Oh, thank you Mr.