General Colin L. Powell— the highly recognized former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff— passed away on the morning of October 18, 2021, according to a Facebook announcement which was issued by the 84-year old’s family. They noted that Powell’s demise was caused by Covid 19 complications, although he was fully vaccinated. Powell’s family thanked the medical staff who treated the 35-year veteran of the U.S. Army at Walter Reed National Medical Center.
Powell, a son of Jamaican immigrants, was born in 1937 in New York City, according to the Joint Staff’s website. He joined the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the City College of New York, earned a bachelor of science in geology in 1958, was “commissioned a second lieutenant in the Regular Army,” served in Vietnam, then later earned the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1970. His other accomplishments include becoming the Deputy National Security Adviser under Frank Carlucci, during President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Powell became Commander in Chief of Forces Command (CINCFOR), at Fort McPherson, Ga. He was later picked by former President George H. W. Bush to serve as the twelfth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, per the Joint Staff’s biography.
As of October 12, 2021, over 187 million people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, information also mentioned that a portion of fully vaccinated individuals die from COVID-19.