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When Burwell Bell ("B.B." to his friends) joined the Army in 1969, it was only to fulfill the four-year service obligation that came with an ROTC scholarship. But he didn't leave after four years, or even twenty. When Bell finally retired from the Army 39 years later, it was as a four-star general - one of the highest-ranking officers in the United States military.

To put his accomplishment into perspective, consider this: there are approximately 518,000 active duty soldiers in the United States Army; at any given time, there can be no more than 12 four-star generals (at the time of his retirement, Gen. Bell was one of only 11). Highlights of Gen. Bell's illustrious career include serving as Commanding General of the Army's forces in Europe and Korea, and as Commanding General of U.N. and NATO forces in Europe. His numerous decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.

Gen. Bell was born in Oak Ridge, Tenn. in 1947. He tells his life story as orderly and precisely as he served his career.

"My father was a West Point graduate, but he was injured during his senior year and physically could not go on active duty," said Gen. Bell. "Instead, they shipped him to a small town in Tennessee
to work as an engineer on a secret project."

The 25-year-old medical retiree had been assigned to Oak Ridge's Manhattan Project - the top-secret World War II endeavor to develop the first atomic bomb. The young engineer met his bride (Bell's mother) during a hospital stay in Arkansas; the couple settled in Oak Ridge, where they would soon start a family.

Their roots in East Tennessee run deep. Though he's been stationed all over the world and is currently enjoying retirement in Chattanooga, Tenn. with his wife, Katie, Gen. Bell still keeps in touch with many of his friends in Oak Ridge (also known as the Secret City).

"Oak Ridge is a terrific city full of wonderful people," said Gen. Bell. "It's a community with unique features, high aspirations and good thinkers."

Bell attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on an ROTC scholarship. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the Army to serve the four-year service agreement that would fulfill his obligation to the military. When his four years ended, Bell decided to stick around a little longer.

"When you enjoy your job, and you love doing it, you want to keep doing it," he said.

Though he continued to excel as a soldier, Bell never aspired to become of the Army's highest-ranking officers.

"It's

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