Ramón “CZ” Colón-López is a retired senior noncommissioned officer of the United States Air Force and one of the most respected enlisted leaders in modern military history.
He served 33 years in uniform, culminating as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking enlisted position in the U.S. military. In that role, he advised on the readiness, morale, and effectiveness of 2.4 million service members worldwide.
CZ’s leadership was not shaped in theory.
It was forged in combat, crisis, and consequence.
From the battlefield to the pentagon
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and raised in a working-class family, CZ enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1990. He later volunteered for Pararescue, completing one of the most demanding training pipelines in the military.
As a Special Operations Pararescueman, he deployed repeatedly to combat zones, including multiple missions in Afghanistan. He led under direct fire, survived aircraft shoot-downs, and executed rescue and assault operations where lives depended on decisive action.
Over his career, CZ served across:
- Joint Special Operations Command
- United States Africa Command
- United States Air Forces Central Command
- The Pentagon, as Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
At every level, leadership meant one thing: ownership.
Leadership Earned, Not Claimed
CZ is the first enlisted member of the U.S. Armed Forces to receive the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Department of Defense’s highest non-combat award for exceptional service at the national level.
He is also a recipient of:
- Two Bronze Star Medals, including one with Valor
- The Air Force Combat Action Medal, one of the first six ever awarded
- The Air Force Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award
- Numerous joint and service-level leadership honors
In 2023, his hometown of Guánica, Puerto Rico, honored his service by naming a roadway Carretera SEAC Ramón Colón-López.
His leadership actions are now studied by future leaders and featured in permanent exhibits at the U.S. Air Force Museum.
Carnivore Leadership
Across decades of service, CZ captured lessons from combat, failure, and senior leadership in a series of field notebooks. Those lessons became the foundation for Carnivore Leadership.
The philosophy is simple:
- Stop Reacting
- Start Acting
- Own Decisions, Standards, and Outcomes
Carnivore Leadership is not about aggression. It is about responsibility when pressure is real and excuses are costly.
How to work with ramon
Ramón “CZ” Colón-López works with leaders and teams who operate under pressure and need leadership that holds when stakes are real.
Speaking
High-impact keynotes grounded in real-world leadership under pressure. Ramón challenges audiences to stop waiting, raise standards, and take ownership when it matters most.
Workshops
Hands-on sessions where teams apply Carnivore Leadership principles to decision-making, accountability, and execution. These workshops turn mindset into action and clarity into results.
Coaching
Direct, no-nonsense coaching for leaders navigating complexity, responsibility, and high consequences. Focused on ownership, decision-making, and leading with integrity under pressure.
Today, Ramón “CZ” Colón-López brings Carnivore Leadership to leaders across business, government, and high-performance teams.