From October 18, 2021
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist released the following statements after the passing of Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Advisor, and retired U.S. Army General.
"Colin Powell was a statesman who served his country in uniform and at the highest levels of government for decades," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "As a soldier, he was deployed in the Vietnam War and went on to hold various national security and diplomacy roles under four presidents: Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr. Secretary Powell embodied values we all strive to live by: fidelity, independence, and humility. My thoughts are with his family and all those who looked up to him as a soldier, a leader, and an American."
"As a soldier, cabinet secretary, and public servant, Secretary Powell led a lifetime of distinguished service to his country," said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. "He was our first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State. For so many, he was a symbol of the heights to which anyone can rise in America. In the example of his leadership and devotion to public service, he will continue to inspire future generations."
Original source can be found here.
