Special Operations Warrior Foundation Scholarship – in Honor of Ramón “CZ” Colón-López

Columbia Southern University is honored to partner with the Special Operations Warrior Foundation to provide the Special Operations Warrior Foundation Scholarship in Honor of Ramón Colón-López to surviving children of Special Operations personnel and support personnel who die in the line of duty while assigned to, or attached to, any unit under United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). It also covers the surviving children of non-serving spouses who pass away while their spouse is actively serving and assigned to, or attached to, a USSOCOM unit; this specific eligibility applies only to losses occurring on or after September 1, 2018, and is not retroactive. In addition, all children of all Medal of Honor recipients, whether the recipient is living or deceased, are eligible for the scholarship.

Biography

Ramón Colón-López is a retired United States Air Force veteran who served for 33 years and became the fourth Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior enlisted service member in the U.S. Armed Forces. Born and raised in Guánica, Puerto Rico, he moved to the United States in 1986 and later embarked on a distinguished career in special operations, serving for two decades as a Special Operations Pararescueman and leading elite teams within Joint Special Operations Command during numerous combat missions around the world. Throughout his service, he worked with leaders from 89 countries, helping strengthen alliances and partnerships to enhance global security.

As SEAC, Colón-López guided the force through a period of significant global and institutional challenges, advising three Secretaries of Defense and two Presidents on issues ranging from modernization to recruiting. He became the first enlisted member of the U.S. Armed Forces to receive the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and has earned 58 medals, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and two Bronze Star Medals for Valor and combat operations. Honored in his hometown with “Carretera SEAC Ramon Colon Lopez,” he has also been inducted into the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame and recognized with multiple lifetime achievement awards for his contributions to national security and special operations.

Colón-López now serves as CEO of Carnivore Concepts, Inc., sits on the Military Board of Advisors for First Command Financial Services, and supports several companies and nonprofits as a strategic consultant and board member, continuing his commitment to the military and veteran community. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, completed a National Preparedness Leadership Initiative fellowship at Harvard University, and pursued additional leadership education at the University of North Carolina and other institutions. He lives in North Carolina with his wife Janet and their rescue dogs, and enjoys mountaineering, climbing, mountain biking, shooting, and writing.

Eligibility

Below is a description of the three ways families can become eligible for support through the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF):

• Surviving children of fallen Special Operations Personnel and support personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty while assigned to, or attached to, any unit that falls under the United Stated Special Operation Command (USSOCOM).
• The surviving children of non-serving spouses who lose their lives while their spouse is actively serving and assigned to, or attached to, any unit that falls under the United Stated Special Operation Command (USSOCOM). This eligibility became effective on 01 SEP 2018 and eligibility was not backdated to include loses before this date.
• All children of all Medal of Honor recipients, living or deceased.

The Point of Contact for the scholarship is as follows:

Barbara Secor, MS

Director of Programs

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Work Cell: 813-397-9069

barbaras@specialops.org