Ramón Colón-López: Difference between revisions

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	==Air Force Combat Action Medal==		==Air Force Combat Action Medal==
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	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.<ref name="DD"></ref> 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.<ref name="NAFM"/><ref></ref><ref>{{cite web\|author=Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph \|url=http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123056767 \|title=Airmen receive first AF Combat Action Medals \|publisher=Af.mil \|date= \|accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref>		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.<ref name="DD"></ref> 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.<ref name="NAFM"/><ref></ref><ref>{{cite web\|author=Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph \|url=http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123056767 \|title=Airmen receive first AF Combat Action Medals \|publisher=Af.mil \|date= \|accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref>

Revision as of 19:20, 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
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1990–present
Rank	Command Chief Master Sergeant
Commands	Command 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 / wars	Gulf War Operation Southern Watch Operation Northern Watch Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Awards	Defense 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

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

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

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
	Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and bronze oak leaf cluster
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Aerial Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Joint Service Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Combat Action Medal *Inaugural recipient
	Presidential Unit Citation with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Presidential Unit Citation (Navy)
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with one bronze oak leaf
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Combat Readiness Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Combat Readiness Medal
	Air Force Good Conduct Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Recognition Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster
	National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star
	Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars
	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
	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and silver oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
	NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	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