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==Later years== ==Later years==
]
Colón-López serves as the Command Chief, 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan. His military rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9), is the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. He is married to the former Janet K. McCaskill of ]. Colón-López was featured at the ] located in ], in the museum's "Warrior Airmen" exhibit for his role in missions to capture or kill high value targets directly related to the recent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and abroad.<ref></ref> Colón-López serves as the Command Chief, 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan. His military rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9), is the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. He is married to the former Janet K. McCaskill of ]. Colón-López was featured at the ] located in ], in the museum's "Warrior Airmen" exhibit for his role in missions to capture or kill high value targets directly related to the recent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and abroad.<ref></ref>


Revision as of 19:19, 8 June 2013

Ramón Colón-López
Chief Master Sergeant Ramon Colon-Lopez
The first Hispanic recipient of the Air Force Combat Action Medal.
Born(1971-10-21)October 21, 1971
Ponce, Puerto Rico
AllegianceUnited States United States of America
Service / branch United States Air Force
Years of service1990–present
Rank Command Chief Master Sergeant
CommandsCommand Chief Master Sergeant of the 18th Wing
Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 1st Special Operations Wing
Commandant of the Pararescue and Combat Rescue Officer School
Battles / warsGulf War
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star Medalw/ Valor and oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal w/ oak leaf cluster
Air Medal w/ oak leaf cluster

Chief Master Sergeant Ramón Colón-López (born: October 21, 1971) is a pararescueman with the U.S. Air Force. In 2007 he was the only Hispanic amongst the first six airmen to be awarded the newly created Air Force Combat Action Medal. He is currently the Command Chief of the 18th Wing Kadena AB, Japan.

Early years

Colón-López was born in the City of Ponce, Puerto Rico, located in the southern coast of the island. His family moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut 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. However, after two semesters in December 1990, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and trained as a Transportation Specialist after completing his basic training. He served as a Transportation Specialist during the Gulf War.

Pararescueman

Colón-López in Afghanistan in 2004.

In 1994, he volunteered for Pararescue duty training and completed his training in 1996. Pararescuemen are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. They are the only members of the DoD specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations in hostile or denied areas as a primary mission.

He participated in various assignments, among which were Operation Southern Watch and Operation Northern Watch as Combat Search and Rescue Team Leader. From July 2002 to September 2004, Colón-López was again deployed as part of a joint task force to several classified locations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan where he participated in a series of joint operations, including direct assaults and combat search and rescue missions. During this time he also protected future Afghanistan president, Hamid Karzai. He was selected to create and implement the unit's compartments Personnel Recovery Advance Force Operations team, which serviced the entire Joint Special Operations arena.

Air Force Combat Action Medal

Air Force Combat Action Medal

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 Commandant of the Pararescue and Combat Rescue Officer School.

On June 13, 2007, Colón-López became the first Hispanic, amongst the first six airmen, to be awarded the newly created Air Force Combat Action Medal, bestowed upon him by Air Force Chief of Staff General Teed Michael Moseley at the Air Force Memorial, in Washington, DC. 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 Sgt. Byron P. Allen; Master Sgt. Charlie Peterson; Staff Sgt. Daniel Paxton; and Capt. Allison K. Black.

Later years

The "Warrior Airmen" exhibit at the U.S. Air Force Museum

Colón-López serves as the Command Chief, 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan. His military rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9), is the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. He is married to the former Janet K. McCaskill of Seagrove, North Carolina. Colón-López was featured at the U.S. Air Force Museum located in Dayton, Ohio, in the museum's "Warrior Airmen" exhibit for his role in missions to capture or kill high value targets directly related to the recent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and abroad.

Awards and decorations

Among Colón-López' military decorations and badges are the following:

Basic US Air Force Enlisted Aircrew Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Jumpmaster Military Freefall Parachutist Badge
US Air Force Scuba Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal
VBronze oak leaf clusterWidth-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges. Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf clusterWidth-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges. Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster Air Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Aerial Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal *Inaugural recipient
Bronze oak leaf cluster Presidential Unit Citation with bronze oak leaf cluster
Presidential Unit Citation (Navy)
Bronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with one bronze oak leaf
VBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Silver oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Combat Readiness Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Silver oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Good Conduct Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Recognition Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze starWidth=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze starWidth-44 ribbon with the following stripes, arranged symmetrically from the edges to the center: width-2 black, width-4 chamois, width-2 Old Glory blue, width-2 white, width-2 Old Glory red, width-6 chamouis, width-3 myrtle green up to a central width-2 black stripe Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star
Bronze starBronze star Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars
Bronze star Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Silver oak leaf cluster Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Longevity Service Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze star Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
Navy Expert Pistol Medal
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Other awards

  • 1994 Senior Airman Below-the-Zone
  • 1997 Leadership Award, Airman Leadership School
  • 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

Notes

  1. Template:Spanish name

See also

References

  1. "1st SOW welcomes new command chief". 12/2/2011. Retrieved January 14, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ National Air Force Museum
  3. "Heritage of the Special Operations Professionals". Air Force Special Operations Command. United States Air Force. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  4. "HUNTING THE TERRORISTS DOWN: SMSGT. RAMON COLON-LOPEZ". 4/21/2009. Retrieved January 14, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. Dept of Defense
  6. Seasoned PJ Trains the Next Generation
  7. Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph. "Airmen receive first AF Combat Action Medals". Af.mil. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  8. ^ Stars and Stripes
  9. Air Force releases combat action medal criteria, Air Force Print News, 4/9/2007
  10. news/2009/01/ap_air_force_museum_011209 Military museums limited with Iraq war exhibits
  11. "Biography:Chief Master Sergeant Ramon Colon-Lopez". Jan 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2013.

External links

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