Colonel Powers was born on 17 Jan 1955 in New York, NY. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps following graduation from Villanova University. Since his commissioning, he has served in the Fleet Marine Force and supporting establishments.

In January 1978 he assumed duties as Platoon Commander, A Company, 1st Battalion 7th Marines.
In January 1979 he assumed duties as Platoon Commander in B Co 1st Recon Battalion.
In May 1979 he was promoted to 1st lieutenant. He assumed duties as the Company Executive Officer at B Co 1st Recon Battalion in January 1981.
In August 1981, he was transferred to 3d Recon Battalion and was initially assigned as assistant operations officer.
In December 1981, he was assigned as a Company Commander for C Co, 3d Recon Battalion and promoted to Captain in April 1982.
In July 1982 he assumed the duties as Marine Officer Instructor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute until May 1985 when he attended the Infantry Officer’s Advance Course at Ft Benning Ga.
In January 1986 he attended the Defense Language School (Dutch) followed by a two-year assignment to the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps initially as the assistant operations officer.
In April 1987 he commanded the 11th Company 1st Amphibious Combat Group RNLMC until his transfer to 29 Palms in August 1988.
In September 1988 he assumed the duties as a Company Commander, B Co 3d Light Armor Infantry (LAI), Battalion 29 Palms and Camp Fuji Japan. He was promoted to Major in July 1989.
In November 1989 he served as the Detachment Commander of Detachment 3d LAI Battalion 29 Palms and deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 as Task Force Commander, Task Force Lima, 7th MEB (Desert Shield).
In September 1990 he was assigned as Task Force Operations Officer (Desert Shield/Storm) Task Force Shepherd. In March 1991 he served again as Detachment Commander Det. 3d LAI Bn. and in April 1991 he assumed command of 3d Light Armor Infantry, Battalion call sign “Wolfpack.”
In September 1991 he was assigned to the U.S. Army JFK SWCS at Ft Bragg, NC and attended the Special Forces Detachment Officers Course earning the Green Beret.
In June 1992 he served as Company Commander for B Co.1st Battalion, 1st Special Force Training Group.
In August 1994 he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in April 1995.
In August 1995 he was assigned as Officer in Charge, Special Operations Training Group (SOTG), I MEF Camp Pendleton CA. From January 1998 until January 2000 he commanded 1st Light Armor Reconnaissance Battalion I“Highlanders.”
In January 2000 he assumed the duties as the Deputy Future Operations, I Marine Expeditionary Force G-3 and in March 2000 he was promoted to Colonel. He attended the Naval War College, Newport RI. from August 2000 until June 2001.
In July 2001 he served as the Director, Naval Expeditionary Warfare (N5), EWTGPAC Coronado CA. Colonel Powers retired in June, 2003.
In 2004, Colonel Powers was an analyst for Boeing. He was CEO of Homeland Security Technology International from 2004-2008.
From 2008 until the present he has been a range consultant for International Program Group.

Colonel Powers’ Personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Combat V, Meritorious Service Medal w/2 Stars, Combat Action Ribbon. Colonel Powers is married to the former Heidi Hulst of Laguna Beach CA. Colonel Powers has two daughters, Amanda and Brittany and a son, Bjørn.