Colin Luther Powell, KCB, MSC, (born April 5, 1937) is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush, and the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2009), serving under President John McCain. He was the first African American appointed to that position. During his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Army Forces Command (1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Gulf War. He was the first, and so far the only, African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.