We all were moved and greatly saddened to learn this morning of the passing of Gen (ret) Colin Powell. On behalf of our President Col (ret) Mark Rado and our entire VII Corps DSVA Board, I want to express our deepest sympathies to Mrs. Alma Powell and the entire Powell family. Our thoughts and prayers to them in this time of great loss.
General Powell was a truly remarkable man, Soldier, and public servant.
A great American for all times and by any measure in positions of the highest responsibilities serving our Nation as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff then later as our Secretary of State, then founding Chairman of America’s Promise for the well-being of our young people.
He was a personal friend and a friend of VII Corps. He was the architect of our Coalition Victory. He came to Kelley Barracks 27 June 1991 in Stuttgart, Germany for our Honors Ceremony honoring all who had served in VII Corps on Desert Storm. He said that day in his speech:
“You have raised the levels of warfare to new heights. You fought a war of complexity and integration no one has ever seen before. You were at the very top of the profession of arms…You showed that this Army, this Navy, this Air Force, this Marine Corps, this Coast Guard, joined by allies from around the world in a grand coalition, were able to assemble in a short period of time and defeat the fourth largest army in the world and defeat it handily. You were there; you were magnificent; you can take great pride in your accomplishments… You have made America proud again…You have shown that the Armed Forces of The United States, and especially the Jayhawk Corps, are the best and brightest of the Nation.”
General Powell also came to our 15th Desert Storm Veterans Association Dinner in February 2006 as our honored guest speaker. He inspired us all with his moving and informative remarks paying tribute to VII Corps Soldiers that most special evening.
America and the world have lost a great Soldier, Statesman, and a genuinely caring and authentic public servant who improved and made greater so many dimensions of our Nation and the world. We will all miss him.
Fred M. Franks
General, US Army (retired)
Chairman VII Corps DSVA Board of Directors
