Ramón Colón-López
(born October 21, 1971) is a retired senior
non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...
of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
and a former
pararescueman, and served as the 4th
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) is the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) position overall in the United States Armed Forces. The SEAC is appointed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of ...
(SEAC) from December 13, 2019 to November 3, 2023. In his role as SEAC, Colón-López was the most senior
enlisted member of the
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
. In 2007 he was the only Hispanic American among the first six airmen to be awarded the newly created
Air Force Combat Action Medal.
He served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for ...
from September 2016 to November 2019.
Early life and family
Colón-López was born to Vilma López and Ramon Colon-Torres in the city of
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce ( , , ) is a city and a Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The most populated city outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan metropolitan area, Ponce was founded on August 12, 1692Some publ ...
,
located in the southern coast of the island. His family moved to
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...
and in 1989, he graduated from
Kolbe Cathedral High School. Colón-López wanted to pursue a degree in the field of biology and attended
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University (SHU) is a private, Roman Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1963 by Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart was the first Catholi ...
. However, after two semesters, on 10 December 1990, he enlisted in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
and trained as a
Transportation Specialist.
Military career
After graduating
basic military training
Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique dema ...
as a Transportation Specialist at
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and an enclave of ...
,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, Colón-López was stationed at
Iraklion Air Station in
Crete
Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
. He was deployed during the
Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
.
In 1994, he volunteered for Pararescue duty training and completed his training in 1996 with 12 of his original 113 PJ candidates.
After completing the PJ "pipeline" he was assigned to the
48th Rescue Squadron out of
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, which is the county seat of Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The b ...
,
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
. While a member of the 48th RQS he participated in various assignments, among which were
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from August 1992 to March 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of moni ...
and
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997.
The coalition partn ...
as Combat Search and Rescue Team Leader. He left the 48th RQS in January 1999 to join the
24th Special Tactics Squadron
The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the List of United States Air Force special tactics squadrons, Special Tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Garrisoned at Pope Field, North Carolina, it is t ...
, located at
Pope Air Force Base
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012. Forme ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
.
24th Special Tactics Squadron

From 1999 to 2005 Colón-López was a member of the
24th Special Tactics Squadron
The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the List of United States Air Force special tactics squadrons, Special Tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Garrisoned at Pope Field, North Carolina, it is t ...
as a Special Tactics Element Leader.
While a member of the 24th STS, from July 2002 to September 2004, Colón-López was deployed four times to
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
as part of a joint task force to several classified locations in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
.
While deployed he participated in a series of joint operations, including direct assaults and
combat search and rescue
Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones.
A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, aerial refueling ta ...
missions. During this time he also protected future Afghanistan president,
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai (born 24 December 1957) is an Afghan politician who served as the fourth president of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, including as the first president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from 2004 to 2014. He previously served a ...
, and received his first
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...
with
valor
Valor, valour, or valorous may mean:
* Courage, a similar meaning
* Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause"
Entertainment
* Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death
* ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series
...
for his actions under fire while supporting Karzai's security detail.
His second Bronze Star Medal was for his actions after his helicopter was shot down during a mission in Afghanistan. After the helicopter crash landed, two
Navy SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
s and Colón-López assaulted fortified enemy positions, killing five combatants and ensuring the safety of the remaining crew.
He was selected to create and implement the unit's compartmented Personnel Recovery Advance Force Operations team, which serviced the entire Joint Special Operations arena.
On March 11, 2004, Colón-López, together with his Advance Force Operations Team and elements of the Afghan National Strike Unit, participated in an operation which required the capture of a high level target and a follow-on site exploitation with the intention of preventing the proliferation of chemical weapons. His helicopter drew hostile enemy fire yet Colón-López continued on his mission, which resulted in two enemy kills, the capture of 10 enemy troops and the destruction of multiple rocket propelled grenades and small caliber weapons.
In January 2005, after Colón-López returned to the United States, he was named Superintendent of Training and later as interim Commandant of the Pararescue and Combat Rescue Officer School.
Later career

On June 13, 2007, Colón-López became the first
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
, and one of the first six airmen, to be awarded the newly created
Air Force Combat Action Medal. It was bestowed upon him by
Air Force Chief of Staff
The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is the service chief of the United States Air Force. They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are a mem ...
General
T. Michael Moseley at the Air Force Memorial, in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
The medal was created to recognize Air Force members who are engaged in air or ground combat "outside the wire" in combat zones. Airmen who are under direct and hostile fire, or who personally engaged hostile forces with direct and lethal fire are eligible to receive the award. The other five airmen to receive the award were Major Steve Raspet; Master Sergeant Byron P. Allen; Master Sergeant Charlie Peterson; Staff Sergeant Daniel Paxton; and Captain Allison K. Black.

After leaving the PJ/CRO Schoolhouse Colón-López returned to
Pope Field
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, North Carolina, Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal A ...
and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron as the unit's
Senior Enlisted Advisor
A senior enlisted advisor (SEA) is the most senior enlisted service member in a unit, and acts as an advisor to the commanding officer.
Australia
In Australia the equivalent positions within the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and R ...
from April 2009 to April 2011.
As of 2009 a mannequin of Colón-López is featured at the
United States Air Force Museum
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is ...
located in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...
, in the museum's "Warrior Airmen" exhibit.
After serving as the SEA for the 24th STS for two years, Colón-López then served as the inaugural Group Superintendent of the
724th Special Tactics Group at Pope Field, which was activated on 30 April 2011. However, he only held the position for six months before becoming the
Command Chief Master Sergeant
A chief master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.
Philippines Philippine armed forces
Since 2004, as part of the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippi ...
of the
1st Special Operations Wing
The 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of three United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).
The 1st Special Operations Wing ...
at
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force S ...
on November 30, 2011. In January 2013 Colón-López was reassigned to the 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan where he served as the wing's Command Chief. In addition to his traditional duties as a wing's Command Chief he also served as
Kadena Air Base
(International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: DNA, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: RODN) is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena and Chatan, Okinawa, Chatan and the ...
's senior enlisted liaison between the 18th Wing and enlisted personnel from other Department of Defense branches on Okinawa.
In 2013 the Air Force Professional Development Guide (PDG) featured an excerpt regarding Colón-López added in the "Enlisted Heritage" chapter, in which it refers to his actions in Afghanistan that led to him receiving the Air Force Combat Action Medal. The PDG is studied by
airmen
An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred to as a soldier in other definitions. As a military rank designat ...
for the Promotion Fitness Examination portion of the
Weighted Airman Promotion System which overall determines promotions to the ranks of Staff Sergeant (
E-5) through Technical Sergeant (E-6) Air Force-wide.
In June 2014, Colon-Lopez was selected to replace Chief Master Sergeant Shelina Frey as the command chief for
United States Air Forces Central Command.
In May 2022, Colon-Lopez received an honorary rank of master chief by the
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
The master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is the senior enlisted member of the U.S. Coast Guard and the principal advisor to the commandant of the Coast Guard on all enlisted personnel matters.
The holder of this position is ...
, MCPOCG
Heath B. Jones.

In 2023, he was honored in his hometown of Guánica, Puerto Rico with a road named after him as "Carretera SEAC Ramon Colon Lopez" on HWY 1116, and on October 24, 2023, he was the inaugural recipient of the Euripides Rubio Medal, presented by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for an accomplished military career with significant valorous combat actions and honor.
As the SEAC, Colon-Lopez became the first enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces to be awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal for outstanding contributions to national security in a position of great responsibility. The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is the United States Department of Defense's highest non-combat related military award and it is the highest joint service decoration.
Education
*1991 USAF Traffic Management School, Sheppard AFB, TX
*1994 USAF Pararescue Selection Course (OL-H), Lackland AFB, TX
*1995 Special Forces Underwater Operations (SFUWO) Combat Diver Course, NAS Key West, FL
*1996 Pararescue Apprentice Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
*1997 Airman Leadership School, Holloman AFB, NM
*2000 SFUWO Dive Medical Technician Course, NAS Key West, FL
*2001 Airborne Jumpmaster Course, Little Creek NAS, VA
*2003 Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Yuma PG, AZ
*2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
*2005 Basic Instructor Course, Lackland AFB, TX
*2005
Associate degree
An associate degree or associate's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of academic qualification above a high school diploma and below a bachelor's degree ...
in Survival and Rescue Operations, Community College of the Air Force
*2005 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (correspondence)
*2007 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
*2009 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
*2011 Senior Enlisted Joint PME (correspondence)
*2011 Keystone – National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington DC
*2012 Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg, PA
*2012 USAF Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro NC
*2012 Latin America: A Political-Economic Conflict Seminar, Washington DC
*2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
*2017 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Washington D.C.
*2017 Associate degree in Management Studies, University of Maryland, Md
*2017
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
degree in Management Studies (''cum laude''), University of Maryland, Md..
*2017 Professional Manager's Certification, University of Maryland, Md.
*2019 Executive Education Program (Meta-Leadership), Harvard University, Cambridge MA
Assignments
# April 1991 – October 1992, Traffic Management Specialist, 7276th Air Base Group,
Iraklion Air Station,
Crete
Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
,
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
# October 1992 – September 1994, Traffic Management Journeyman, 12th Transportation Squadron,
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Bexar County, Texas, ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the United ...
, Texas
# September 1994 – October 1996, Pararescue student, Det 1 342nd Training Squadron,
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base. It is located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator C ...
, New Mexico
# October 1996 – February 1999, Pararescue Journeyman,
48th Rescue Squadron,
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, which is the county seat of Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The b ...
, New Mexico
# February 1999 – January 2005, Special Tactics Element Leader,
24th Special Tactics Squadron
The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the List of United States Air Force special tactics squadrons, Special Tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Garrisoned at Pope Field, North Carolina, it is t ...
,
Pope Air Force Base
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012. Forme ...
, North Carolina
# January 2005 – November 2006, Superintendent of Training/Chief Enlisted Manager, USAF
PJ/
CRO School, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
# November 2006 – April 2009, Commandant, USAF PJ/CRO School, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
# April 2009 – April 2011, Senior Enlisted Adviser, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina
# April 2011 – November 2011, Group Superintendent, 724th Special Tactics Group, Pope Field, North Carolina
# November 2011 – January 2013, Command Chief,
1st Special Operations Wing
The 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of three United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).
The 1st Special Operations Wing ...
,
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force S ...
, Florida
# January 2013 – June 2014, Command Chief,
18th Wing
The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.
The Wing's 18th ...
,
Kadena Air Base
(International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: DNA, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: RODN) is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena and Chatan, Okinawa, Chatan and the ...
,
Okinawa
most commonly refers to:
* Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture
* Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture
* Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself
* Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
# June 2014 – June 2016, Command Chief,
United States Air Forces Central Command,
Southwest Asia
West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenia ...
# June 2016 – September 2016, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
# September 2016 – November 2019, Senior Enlisted Leader,
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for ...
,
Kelley Barracks
Kelley Barracks (formerly ''Helenen-Kaserne'') is a U.S. military installation and headquarters of United States Africa Command, and is a part of US Army Garrison Stuttgart in Stuttgart-Möhringen in Germany. The post is administered by IMCOM- Eu ...
,
Stuttgart, Germany
Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
# December 2019 – November 2023, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Pentagon, Washington, DC
Awards, decorations and honors
Colón-López' military decorations and badges are the following:
Other awards
* 1994 Senior Airman
below the zone
* 1997 Leadership Award,
Airman Leadership School
Airman Leadership School (ALS) is a 24 duty day (5 week) United States Air Force program designed to develop airmen into effective front-line supervisors. It is the first professional military education that enlisted Air Force members encounter. ...
* 1998 Air Combat Command (ACC) 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 USAF nominee to U.S. Chamber of Commerce
* 2013
Gathering of Eagles Inductee, USAF
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Un ...
* 2017 Induction, Distinguished Veteran's Hall of Fame, Puerto Rico.
* 2020 NDIA DeProspero Lifetime Achievement Award
* 2023 Namesake, "Carretera SEAC Ramon Colon-Lopez", HWY116 in Guanica, Puerto Rico
* 2023 Euripides Rubio Medal, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
See also
*
List of Puerto Ricans
This is a list of notable people from Puerto Rico which includes people who were born in Puerto Rico (Borinquen) and people who are of full or partial Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican descent. Puerto Rican citizens are included, as the governm ...
*
List of Puerto Rican military personnel
Throughout history Puerto Ricans, including people of Puerto Rican descent, have gained notability as members of the military. They have served and have fought for many countries, such as Canada, Cuba, England, Mexico, Spain, the United States a ...
*
Hispanics in the United States Air Force
Notes
References
Further reading
*''Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own''; by : Greg Boudonck;
*''Never Quit: From Alaskan Wilderness Rescues to Afghanistan Firefights as an Elite Special Ops PJ''; by : Jimmy Settle;
External links
Official Defense Department Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colon-Lopez, Ramon
1971 births
Puerto Rican United States Air Force personnel
Military personnel from Bridgeport, Connecticut
Sacred Heart University alumni
Military personnel from Ponce
Recipients of the Air Medal
Living people
Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
United States Air Force airmen