He joined the Air Force in the 1990s as a traffic management Servicemember and then took the leap into Special Operations as a Pararescueman. Ramón “CZ” Colón-López has seen a lot during his 32 years of military service. He draws on this knowledge and experience in his current position as the 4th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC). We were fortunate to speak with the military’s most senior enlisted Servicemember this past week, as we chatted through the wisdom of the Noncommissioned Officer Corps (NCO), total force fitness and military education.

NCOs Lead the Way

2014. The Annexation of Crimea. This historic and tumultuous hostile takeover of a sovereign country sparked the total overhaul of several European militaries. Ukraine was the first to lead this charge. Five years, a new basic training program, special operations program and three professional development academies later, you can visibly see the effect of the NATO westernization on the European NCO development programs.

The ideology is simple: Decentralized NCOs which cast a wider leadership net in the field.

Another important component is the ability to work together to protect each other. “When you look at the National Defense Strategy and the reliance on Partners and Allies, it’s critical now a days,” said Colón-López. He added that as we move away from a localized battlefield and move to fighting on a global scale against other great power nations, partnerships are critical to winning on the battlefield.

So, in other words, relationships matter.

Relationships create the bonds that enable side-by-side opportunities so that we can train as we fight. But the real key to success is in the beauty of how we fight. Officers empower, allow access, and trust our NCOs to fight and win wars.

But these wars are costly. Not just in a monetary sense, but also in the heaviness that many of us carry with us afterwards.

Total Force Fitness

We All Have Scars.

Many of the scars are invisible.

Not so many years ago, there was a lot of denial with these inner wounds. Not only with ourselves, but with the system. “I ate all my vegetables, never smoked and only had two beers”, said Colón-López as he chuckled. He added that when he talks to the troops, he often gets a similar response.

The human weapons system is equal to steel weapons. We cannot fail. We cannot put band aids on a wound that needs surgery, said the SEAC. He added that Servicemembers must give themselves the opportunity to find out what is troubling them by taking the time to see someone and realize that it’s not always a clinical issue. “Many times, it’s stress related,” said Colón-López. “We must recognize that our young people have so many different stress dynamics that they deal with daily. We must not only recognize that but create avenues for them to seek help.”

Wellness Centers are one avenue that the military is creating. Whether it’s stress or physical, the professionals at these locations give you the science behind what ails you. They are there to help troops and their Families, including National Guard and Reserve components, build healthy communities.

The focus is on prevention because preparedness is the key to combat effectiveness. Troops who are not fit in a simple garrison environment will not be able to perform major things during deployed conflict.

Servicemember Education

A lethal force must also be a thinking force.

Whether officers or enlisted, all Servicemembers must be able to bridge the say, know, do gap. The services are doing this by improving professional military education. Not only the quality but also the length between the educational courses. Gateway is a new course, currently in validation phase, getting ready to roll out later this year. Colón-López said while the course is designed to bridge an educational gap, another element is the importance of teaching troops the “why” behind the decisions and doctrine that we live by.

Not only is this important in the military, but it’s vitally important for life outside the military. As many of us know, military service is generational and less than 76% of the American population is eligible to raise their hand and uphold this solemn duty. By teaching both the how and the why behind things, we are strengthening our community one Servicemember at a time and helping to bridge the civilian-military divide.

“If you want to find a way to pay back the nation for the freedom you have, find out what you can do in the military” said Colón-López. “We can provide a lot in return to society…education, confidence, being part of an elite club for life.”

For More Information

Watch the SEAC’s full video on this week’s Your Next Mission^® video podcast episode on our website or on our YouTube channel.

Your Next Mission^® is a program initiative of the American Freedom Foundation, a non-profit
dedicated to serving our Veterans and Families. Your Next Mission^® video podcast with host
12th SMA (R) Jack L. Tilley features insightful conversation with subject matter experts from the
military and civilian communities. It’s a place where we can have frank and honest
conversation, tackle the tough questions, share stories, and have some fun along the way.