The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) is the highest-ranking enlisted position in the United States Armed Forces. As the principal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), the SEAC oversees joint integration, readiness, and the health of the entire enlisted force.
That position wasn’t even in place when Ramón Colón-López joined the United States Air Force in 1990. It was created in 2005. However, by the time the man known as “CZ” retired from service in November 2023, he had become the fourth to serve in that role. He was not only the first Airman but also the first of Hispanic descent to sit in that seat.
Colón-López was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Connecticut when he was a teenager. Throughout his entire childhood, he was active in sports and enjoyed the benefits that came from both competition and activity. He found that fitness and performance as an anchor served him in all aspects of life.
“To me, fitness is about availability. If you’re healthy, you can be available. You don’t want to be the guy that missed the call because you weren’t ready and available. That’s why fitness is so engrained in everything I do, including now in retirement.”
Ramon Colón-López
A Leader of Action
After joining the Air Force, Colón-López was a Transportation Specialist before he became a Pararescueman, where he thrived for over two decades. He also spent 10 years within the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), serving as a Special Tactics Team Leader and Senior Enlisted Advisor for the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. Prior to being named the fourth SEAC, Colón-López was the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
To sum up his service in a few paragraphs would be nearly impossible, but the service in total required him to be someone that not only made important decisions but took decisive action. One shining example of this is in 2004 during a mission in Afghanistan. His helicopter was suppressed by enemy fire, yet he led an assault that overran enemy positions, resulting in the capture of 10 fighters without any team casualties. That led him to receive the Bronze Star with Valor.
That would be one of over 50 medals and honors he received throughout his career, including being the first recipient of the Air Force Combat Action Medal and the first enlisted member in history to receive the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the highest non-combat award in the Department of Defense.
Colón-López didn’t enter service to collect medals or honors, but his commitment to country and those serving with him are reasons why he has been recognized as many times as he has. He knows that he is the result of many missions accomplished, lessons learned, and effort put into him by leaders that he worked under throughout his career.
“In my experience, I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for everything I learned from my first day in basic training to the last day before I retired.”
Ramon Colón-López
From Advisor to Author
Colón-López knew he had more to offer after he hung up his uniform. He had kept notes in journals throughout his entire career and decided to share the wisdom on those pages with the next generation. The result of that is his upcoming book “Carnivore Leadership: Taking Charge Instead of Taking Shit,” which is scheduled to be released on Jan. 27, 2026.
In the book, Colón-López talks about his “silver bullets” that he has found served him best, and those include emphasis on physical and mental fitness. After originally converting his lessons learned into a shorter internal document, it was suggested that he could turn it into a book.
“Once it got in the hands of the airmen, especially the younger ones, it was well received,” he recalled. “People were still talking about it years later, and it got in the hands of a publisher, who suggested that each bullet be stretched out into chapters.”
This is Colón-López’s second book to come out. The first was actually a children’s book called “Scarlett’s Big Shot: Turning Setback into Success,” and he co-authored that story with retired Marine and Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille. “CZ” shared that there will be more books coming in the future that are targeted for younger audiences and their families.
“It’s a commitment that we are making to the next generation. Mike and I put our heads together to see how we can shape a message that parents could share with their kids.”
Like many leaders and heroes that retire from the military, Colón-López hasn’t stopped and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Since retiring, he has worked as a strategic consultant and serves on the Military Board of Advisors for First Command and the Board of Directors for the Robert Irvine Foundation.
As long as he’s capable of providing service and making a difference, he will keep moving forward. That effort and being a part of projects that make a difference is why he feels more younger Americans should consider joining the military as a part of their future. The rewards go far beyond day-to-day missions.
“Service is a choice that younger people can make that can make them feel a part of something bigger than themselves,” he advised. “The more you get the concept of it being not about you but the mission and team in your head, the more successful you are going to be.”
His call to action doesn’t only go out to young Americans but veterans as well. Recent years have seen more political divide, and Colón-López has seen that trickle down to those that have worn the uniform. Colón-López suggests that heroes that are no longer on active duty can still play a role in uniting everyone on the common ground that they live in a country that many people around the world wish they could. He expressed that greater commitment was honored, then he feels more opportunities for not only service, but prosperity could be possible.
“It’s all about personal ownership. Be responsible for your words and actions, those around you, and your purpose,” he stated. “That is one of my main concerns, that it’s becoming two camps. None of that matters when you’re downrange. Differences don’t have to be arguments. There shouldn’t be a wall and two sides. The only side we should all be picking is patriotism and being an American.”
For Colón-López, the mission has changed, but the standard remains the same: stay fit, stay available, and always put America first.
Both of Colón-López’s books can be ordered on Amazon.
M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.
