Military Alumnus of the Year
Colonel Manuel F. Ramirez
Colonel Manuel F. Ramirez, Military Alumnus of the Year, is the Deputy National Security Agency Senior Representative to United States Central Command. He received a commission as a military officer in 1998 through Jacksonville State University’s ROTC program while earning a master’s degree in biology. As part of the Army’s Branch Detailing program, he initially served as a chemical officer and in 2002, Col. Ramirez became a military intelligence officer.
Col. Ramirez served in a variety of tactical command and staff assignments at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Fort Hood, Texas. While stationed in Hawaii, he deployed to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt as part of the Multi-National Force and Observers mission. Later, while stationed in Texas, he deployed twice to combat operations. In 2003, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 as a targeting office rand intelligence planner. In 2005, he again deployed and commanded the Headquarters Service Company of the 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08.
In 2008, Col. Ramirez attended the Air Force Command and Staff College in Maxwell Airforce Base, Alabama. The following year, he was selected by the Army to attend the Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies where he focused on advanced military studies and military strategy. Upon completion of the program, he deployed for a year-long combat tour in Iraq as an intelligence planner in the United States Forces-Iraq’s Intelligence Directorate (J2) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
In 2011, Col. Ramirez began to work for the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, and from 2014 to 2016, he acted as a commander of a remote technical site in Alice Springs, Australia. Upon returning to the states, he commanded the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, and in 2019, Col. Ramirez graduated from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barrack, PA.
Col. Ramirez has received a host of awards and decorations including one Legion of Merit Medal, two bronze stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, one Army Commendation Medal, three Joint Service Achievement Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, one Joint Meritorious Unit Award, one Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Assault Badge and the Army Space Badge.
Colonel Ramirez and his wife, Helen, have three children: Liliana, Aurora and Gabriel.