"CZ" Colón-López

Ramón Colón-López is a highly decorated 33-year U.S. Air Force veteran, who culminated his service as the 4th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—the highest-ranking enlisted member in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Born in Guánica, Puerto Rico, Colón-López moved to the U.S. in 1986 and enlisted in the Air Force to seek discipline and independence. He later became a Special Operations Pararescueman, completing elite training across all branches, including the Navy SEAL and Army Special Forces courses. His two-decade combat career included over a decade in Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), where he led high-risk missions alongside the most elite U.S. special operations units.

Throughout his military service, Colón-López operated globally in leadership roles across 89 countries, strengthening international alliances and enhancing national security. As SEAC, he advised three Secretaries of Defense and two Presidents, helping shape defense policies on readiness, modernization, and force development during one of the nation's most complex periods.

He was the first enlisted service member to receive the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and has been awarded 58 medals, including two Bronze Stars with Valor, the Legion of Merit, and the Combat Action Medal.

Colón-López has been honored both nationally and in his hometown, with recognitions including a namesake highway in Puerto Rico, induction into the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame, and inclusion in military heritage displays across the country. He’s a two-time honoree of the USAF Gathering of Eagles and recipient of the NDIA DeProspero Lifetime Achievement Award.

Post-military, he serves on several boards and advisory roles, including with First Command Financial Services, the Robert Irvine Foundation, and Warrior Ventures, contributing his strategic insight to national security and veteran-focused initiatives.

He holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland, and is a graduate of leadership programs at Harvard, UNC, and the Center for Creative Leadership. He lives in North Carolina with his wife Janet and their two rescue dogs, Zephyr and Cairo, and enjoys mountaineering, climbing, biking, shooting, and writing.