The Road to Character

Although George Catlett Marshall struggled with academics from his childhood and teenage years into his time at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), he was dedicated to serving every institution he was ever part of. He proved a reliable, and even exceptional team player while at VMI, often taking on menial tasks other students would not. While his service in WWI was outwardly unremarkable, his talent for exacting logistics and plan execution were noted and lauded to the point that his domestic roles within the US Government during WWII were indispensable to the US Presidents he served under. As Secretary of State, he formulated and enacted the European Recovery Plan—which was so effective and necessary that history has given it his name, the Marshall Plan. His flawless self-control and institutionally-minded loyalty ensured that he was loved by all he served and worked with during his long military career.