SEAC Ramón “CZ” Colón-López is the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior enlisted service member, by position, in the United States Armed Forces, and the Principal Military Advisor to the Chairman on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel.
SEAC Colón-López enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1990. He has held assignments in U.S. Air Forces Europe, Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Education and Training Command, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Special Operations Command and Air Forces Central Command. He has deployed numerous times in support of operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Resolute Support, Inherent Resolve and to several other classified locations. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for United States Africa Command.
EDUCATION
1991 U.S. Air Force Traffic Management School, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1994 U.S. Air Force Pararescue Selection Course (OL-H), Lackland AFB, Texas
1995 Special Forces Underwater Operations Combat Diver Course, Naval Air Station Key West, Fla.
1996 Pararescue Apprentice Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
1997 Airman Leadership School, Holloman AFB, N.M.
2000 SFUWO Dive Medical Technician Course, NAS Key West, Fla.
2001 Airborne Jumpmaster Course, Little Creek NAS, Va.
2003 Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.
2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2005 Basic Instructor Course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2005 Associate degree, Survival and Rescue Operations, Community College of the Air Force
2005 U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, by correspondence
2007 U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2009 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2011 Keystone - National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2012 Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg, Pa.
2012 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2012 Latin America: A Political-Economic Conflict Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2017 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2017 Bachelor of Science, Management Studies, Cum Laude, University of Maryland
2017 Associate degree in Management Studies, University of Maryland
2017 Professional Manager’s Certification, University of Maryland
2018 Africa: A Political-Economic Conflict Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2019 Executive Education Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1991‒October 1992, Traffic Management Specialist, 7276 Air Base Group, Iraklion Air Station, Crete, Greece
2. October 1992‒September 1994, Traffic Management Journeyman, 12th Transportation Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
3. September 1994‒October 1996, Pararescue Student, Detachment 1, 342nd Training Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. October 1996‒February 1999, Pararescue Journeyman, 48th Rescue Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. February 1999‒January 2005, Special Tactics Element Leader, 24th Special Tactics, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. January 2005‒November 2006, Training Superintendent, Chief Enlisted Manager, U.S. Air Force Pararescue/Combat Rescue Officer School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. November 2006‒April 2009, Commandant, U.S. Air Force Pararescue/Combat Rescue Officer School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. April 2009‒April 2011, Senior Enlisted Advisor, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
9. April 2011‒November 2011, Group Superintendent, 724th Special Tactics Group, Pope Army Air Field, N.C.
10. November 2011‒January 2013, Command Chief, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. January 2013‒June 2014, Command Chief, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan
12. June 2014‒June 2016, Command Chief, United States Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
13. June 2016‒September 2016, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. September 2016‒November 2019, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany
15. December 2019‒present, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with Valor and oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1994 Senior Airman Below-the-Zone
1997 Leadership Award, Airman Leadership School
1998 Air Combat Command Pararescue Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2003 Commandant's Award and Distinguished Graduate, Gunter NCO Academy
2004 Air Force Pararescue Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2005 Air Force Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award recipient, Senior Noncommissioned Officer
2005 Team Kirtland Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2006 Jaycee's Ten Outstanding Young Americans U.S. Air Force nominee to U.S. Chamber of Commerce
2013 Induction, Gathering of Eagles, U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College
2017 Induction, Distinguished Veteran’s Hall of Fame, Puerto Rico
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, Dec. 13, 2019
(Current as of December 2019)