The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) is the highest-ranking enlisted place in the USA Armed Forces. Because the principal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers (CJCS), the SEAC oversees joint integration, readiness, and the well being of the whole enlisted power.
That place wasn’t even in place when Ramón Colón-López joined the USA Air Drive in 1990. It was created in 2005. Nevertheless, by the point the person referred to as “CZ” retired from service in November 2023, he had turn out to be the fourth to serve in that position. He was not solely the primary Airman but additionally the primary of Hispanic descent to sit down in that seat.
Colón-López was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Connecticut when he was a teen. All through his complete childhood, he was lively in sports activities and loved the advantages that got here from each competitors and exercise. He discovered that health and efficiency as an anchor served him in all points of life.
“To me, health is about availability. Should you’re wholesome, you might be out there. You don’t need to be the man that missed the decision since you weren’t prepared and out there. That’s why health is so engrained in every thing I do, together with now in retirement.”
A Chief of Motion
After becoming a member of the Air Drive, Colón-López was a Transportation Specialist earlier than he grew to become a Pararescueman, the place he thrived for over twenty years. He additionally spent 10 years inside the Joint Particular Operations Command (JSOC)serving as a Particular Techniques Staff Chief and Senior Enlisted Advisor for the twenty fourth Particular Techniques Squadron. Previous to being named the fourth SEAC, Colón-López was the Command Senior Enlisted Chief for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
To sum up his service in just a few paragraphs could be almost unattainable, however the service in complete required him to be somebody that not solely made vital selections however took decisive motion. One shining instance of that is in 2004 throughout a mission in Afghanistan. His helicopter was suppressed by enemy hearth, but he led an assault that overran enemy positions, ensuing within the seize of 10 fighters with none group casualties. That led him to obtain the Bronze Star with Valor.
That will be considered one of over 50 medals and honors he obtained all through his profession, together with being the primary recipient of the Air Drive Fight Motion Medal and the primary enlisted member in historical past to obtain the Protection Distinguished Service Medalthe best non-combat award within the Division of Protection.
Colón-López didn’t enter service to gather medals or honors, however his dedication to nation and people serving with him are explanation why he has been acknowledged as many instances as he has. He is aware of that he’s the results of many missions achieved, classes discovered, and energy put into him by leaders that he labored underneath all through his profession.
“In my expertise, I wouldn’t be the place I’m if it wasn’t for every thing I discovered from my first day in fundamental coaching to the final day earlier than I retired.”
From Advisor to Writer
Colón-López knew he had extra to supply after he hung up his uniform. He had saved notes in journals all through his complete profession and determined to share the knowledge on these pages with the subsequent technology. The results of that’s his upcoming e-book “Carnivore Management: Taking Cost As an alternative of Taking Shit,” which is scheduled to be launched on Jan. 27, 2026.
Within the e-book, Colón-López talks about his “silver bullets” that he has discovered served him greatest, and people embrace emphasis on bodily and psychological health. After initially changing his classes discovered right into a shorter inside doc, it was prompt that he may flip it right into a e-book.
“As soon as it bought within the arms of the airmen, particularly the youthful ones, it was nicely obtained,” he recalled. “Folks had been nonetheless speaking about it years later, and it bought within the arms of a writer, who prompt that every bullet be stretched out into chapters.”
That is Colón-López’s second e-book to come back out. The primary was truly a kids’s e-book referred to as “Scarlett’s Large Shot: Turning Setback into Success,” and he co-authored that story with retired Marine and Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille. “CZ” shared that there shall be extra books coming sooner or later which are focused for youthful audiences and their households.
“It’s a dedication that we’re making to the subsequent technology. Mike and I put our heads collectively to see how we are able to form a message that folks may share with their children.”
Like many leaders and heroes that retire from the army, Colón-López hasn’t stopped and reveals no indicators of slowing down anytime quickly. Since retiring, he has labored as a strategic guide and serves on the Army Board of Advisors for First Command and the Board of Administrators for the Robert Irvine Basis.
So long as he’s able to offering service and making a distinction, he’ll maintain transferring ahead. That effort and being part of tasks that make a distinction is why he feels extra youthful Individuals ought to think about becoming a member of the army as part of their future. The rewards go far past day-to-day missions.
“Service is a selection that youthful individuals could make that may make them really feel part of one thing greater than themselves,” he suggested. “The extra you get the idea of it being not about you however the mission and group in your head, the extra profitable you’re going to be.”
His name to motion doesn’t solely exit to younger Individuals however veterans as nicely. Current years have seen extra political divide, and Colón-López has seen that trickle down to those who have worn the uniform. Colón-López means that heroes which are now not on lively obligation can nonetheless play a task in uniting everybody on the widespread floor that they reside in a rustic that many individuals world wide want they may. He expressed that better dedication was honored, then he feels extra alternatives for not solely service, however prosperity may very well be potential.
“It’s all about private possession. Be chargeable for your phrases and actions, these round you, and your objective,” he acknowledged. “That’s considered one of my most important considerations, that it’s changing into two camps. None of that issues if you’re downrange. Variations don’t should be arguments. There shouldn’t be a wall and two sides. The one aspect we should always all be choosing is patriotism and being an American.”
For Colón-López, the mission has modified, however the usual stays the identical: keep match, keep out there, and all the time put America first.
Each of Colón-López’s books might be ordered on Amazon.
M&F Senior Army Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this text.
