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Revision as of 08:44, 8 June 2013
| Ramón Colón-López | |
|---|---|
 Chief Master Sergeant Ramon Colon-LopezThe 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 |  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.
Currently
Colón-López currently 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 is 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 |
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
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
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Hispanics in the United States Air Force
References
- "1st SOW welcomes new command chief". 12/2/2011. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ National Air Force Museum
- "Heritage of the Special Operations Professionals". Air Force Special Operations Command. United States Air Force. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- "HUNTING THE TERRORISTS DOWN: SMSGT. RAMON COLON-LOPEZ". 4/21/2009. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Dept of Defense
- Seasoned PJ Trains the Next Generation
- Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph. "Airmen receive first AF Combat Action Medals". Af.mil. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ Stars and Stripes
- Air Force releases combat action medal criteria, Air Force Print News, 4/9/2007
- news/2009/01/ap_air_force_museum_011209 Military museums limited with Iraq war exhibits
- "Biography:Chief Master Sergeant Ramon Colon-Lopez". Jan 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
External links
Categories:- 1971 births
- Puerto Rican United States Air Force personnel
- People from Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Sacred Heart University alumni
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- People from Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Military personnel from Ponce
- Puerto Rican military personnel
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Living people
- Recipients of the Aerial Achievement Medal
- Recipients of the Air Force Commendation Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal