N.J. Admin. Code § Executive Order No. 270 (2021)
Governor Philip D. Murphy
Executive Order No. 270 (2021)
An Order that Flags Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of General Colin Luther Powell
Issued: October 18, 2021.
Effective: October 18, 2021.
WHEREAS, General Colin Luther Powell was a four-star general who dedicated five decades to public service; and
WHEREAS, General Powell served as the National Security Adviser under President Ronald Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State under President George W. Bush; and
WHEREAS, General Powell was the first Black man to hold each of those three positions; and
WHEREAS, General Powell was born on April 5, 1937 and raised in South Bronx, New York; and
WHEREAS, General Powell received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the City College of New York in 1958, and would later earn a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University; and
WHEREAS, General Powell started his public service with the United States upon enrollment with the Reserve Officer Training Corps, after which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army in 1958; and
WHEREAS, after attending basic training at Fort Benning, General Powell was assigned to the 48th Infantry as a platoon leader in West Germany; and
WHEREAS, General Powell served two combat tours in South Vietnam in the 1960s and in South Korea in the 1970s; and
WHEREAS, General Powell served several tours in Vietnam, and was decorated with the Soldier's Medal for bravery after he survived a helicopter crash and single-handedly rescued three others from the burning wreckage; and
WHEREAS, General Powell was promoted to one-star general in 1979, becoming the youngest general officer in the Army at the time; and
WHEREAS, in 1986, General Powell became President Reagan's Deputy National Security Advisor, and then became the President's National Security Advisor in November 1987; and
WHEREAS, in April 1989, General Powell was promoted to four-star general under President George H.W. Bush, and later that year, was selected as the youngest officer to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at age 52; and
WHEREAS, in 1997 General Powell founded America's Promise, the nation's largest cross-sector alliance of nonprofit, community organizations, businesses, and government organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people; and
WHEREAS, that same year, General Powell established the Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service to prepare new generations of publicly engaged leaders from populations previously underrepresented in public service, focusing on community and economic development, education, health care, environmental concerns, international development, and global security issues; and
WHEREAS, General Powell was appointed Secretary of State in 2001 by President George W. Bush, and was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate; and
WHEREAS, General Powell served as Secretary of State for four years, leading America's diplomatic efforts in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and military efforts in both Afghanistan and Iraq; and
WHEREAS, General Powell was a highly respected and decorated soldier and citizen, having received the Congressional Gold Medal, President's Citizens Medal, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and two Presidential Medals of Freedom; and
WHEREAS, on October 18, 2021, General Powell succumbed to complications of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); and
WHEREAS, General Powell was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, as well as a remarkable public servant; and
WHEREAS, it is with immense sadness that we mourn General Powell's passing, and extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Alma, their children, and grandchildren, friends, colleagues, fellow servicemembers and officers, and the people of the United States whom he served faithfully for nearly five decades; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to honor the cherished memory and exemplary career and achievements of General Powell, and to mark his passing;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, PHILIP D. MURPHY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
N.J. Admin. Code Executive Order No. 270 (2021)