Colonel Rick Powell

Col. Rick L. Powell (ret.) is currently campaigning for California's 78th State Assembly District.
EDUCATION & MILITARY SERVICE
Rick Powell was born in Champaign, Illinois into a family with a history of military service.
Powell enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at 17, and sent to Vietnam at 18, where he served in eleven major combat operations before the end of his tour of duty.
Subsequent to being discharged from the Marines in 1969, Powell enrolled at California State University - Northridge where he earned a degree in Political Science in 1974.
After college, Powell was hired as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). As a special agent, Powell supervised many criminal investigations pertaining to Arson, Arson with a death, Weapons and Explosive violations and organized crime. Powell was on several presidential details, including Ronald Reagan’s in 1980, while assigned to the Secret Service, and was the Tactical Supervisor for High Risk Entry Teams for six years.
In 1982, Powell transferred to the U.S. Customs, Office of Investigations, U.S. Treasury Department, in San Diego, CA. Powell was one of the original agents assigned to the OCDETF (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force), where in cooperation with DEA and IRS CID, he worked narcotics smuggling and money laundering investigations. 1986 thru 1999, as a Supervisory Special Agent in San Diego and later in Los Angeles, Powell conducted and supervised Strategic Investigations related to the smuggling of arms, missile and other high technologies, WMDs and counter terrorism. Powell retired from law enforcement in 1999.
During the above time period, Powell continued in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1978 and then transferred to the U.S. Army Special Forces (A) Reserves (Green Berets) in 1979. Rick commanded a reserve Special Forces Group in the San Diego area, a Military Intelligence Battalion in the Los Angeles area, was the Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer (EPLO) for the 5th Army assigned to Southern California. During his last four years of service, Powell served as a Brigade Commanding Officer at Camp Pendleton, California.
In 2002, Powell’s brigade was mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraq Freedom in 2003, The brigade was deployed to Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom. Following his return from combat and the completion of his command time, Powell retired from military service as a full colonel in 2004.
Col. Powell is a graduate of the Combined Arms Service Staff School and the Army Command and General Staff Course, and he holds a Top Secret Clearance with an SBI and an SCI.
Col. Powell’s awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, Naval Unit Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal (3rd award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (6th award), Marine Corp Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (3rd award), , Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/palm, Unit Citation Medal (Gallantry Cross Color), Vietnam Campaign Medal (w/device), Vietnam Service Medal (w/2 devices), Iraq Campaign Medal, War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Parachute Badge (U.S.), Parachute Badge (Republic of Korea), Scuba Badge and the Special Forces Tab, Expert Marksmanship badge rifle M-16, Expert marksmanship qualification badge w/pistol bar. Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (2OLC).

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