KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – U.S. Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (Ret.) Ramón "CZ" Colón-López, a career Pararescueman (PJ) with 33-years of active-duty service, visited the Airman Leadership School to discuss his leadership philosophy with the installation’s newest tier of aspiring supervisors at Kirtland Air Force Base, April 30, 2026.
Colón-López’s message focused on accountability, resilience, and the critical transition from being a follower to a front-line leader. During the visit, he shared insights from a career that began in 1990 as a traffic management specialist before he cross-trained into the elite Pararescue career field in 1994. He eventually rose to become the military’s most senior enlisted advisor, serving as the principal bridge between the total joint force and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023.
The engagement allowed students at the schoolhouse to hear firsthand about the expectations placed on noncommissioned officers in a joint environment. For Colón-López, the visit served as a homecoming of sorts; prior to becoming the SEAC, he served as the Commandant of the PJ/Combat Rescue Officer School at Kirtland from November 2006 to April 2009, where he shaped the initial training of the Air Force's premier rescue forces.
Drawing from his book, “Carnivore Leadership,” he emphasized that true leadership requires a "hunger" for excellence and the moral courage to hold both oneself and others to a higher standard. He challenged the students to find their purpose early in their supervisory journey, noting that the strength of the joint force relies on the character and discipline of its junior noncommissioned officers.
Colón-López’s visit to the 377th Air Base Wing highlights Kirtland’s ongoing commitment to professional military education and the development of Airmen and Guardians who are prepared to lead in high-stakes environments.