Col Laura C. Ramos serves as the 18th Mission Support Group Commander, Kadena Air Base, Japan. She commands the largest Mission Support Group in the Air Force and oversees a $7 million budget, $450 million of assets, and 3,700 military and civilian members comprising six squadrons. The 18th Mission Support Group is also responsible for the operation of two geographically separated Detachments, the Okuma Recreation Facility on Okinawa and the Bellows Air Force Station Recreation Facility in Hawaii. Additionally, Col Ramos acts as the Kadena Mayor and is responsible for liaising with local Mayors of the Okinawa Prefectural Government to strengthen international relations.
Col Ramos earned her commission from Officer Training School. She is a career logistics officer with experience in Logistics Plans, Transportation, Aerial Port Operations, and Acquisition and Sustainment fields; and has served in positions at the Squadron, Group, Wing, Numbered Air Force, Subordinate Unified Command, Joint, Interagency, and Air Staff levels. Col Ramos is also a designated joint qualified officer and holds a secondary Air Force Specialty Code as a Political Affairs Strategist. Prior to assuming her current position, Col Ramos was the Chief of the Strategic Partnership Division in the Air Force Integrated Resilience Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia.
EDUCATION
- 1998 - Bachelors of Arts in Political Science (Cum Laude), University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
- 2000 - Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- 2005 - Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- 2008 - Master’s degree in Public Administration, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
- 2009 - Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
- 2010 - Advanced Logistics Readiness Officers Course, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
- 2012 - Master of Arts in Security Studies (Defense Decision-Making), Naval Postgraduate School, California
- 2012 - Joint Combined Warfare School (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Virginia
- 2014 - Air War College, Correspondence
- 2016 - Harvard Business School Online CORe: Credential of Readiness, Harvard University, Massachusetts
- 2020 - Master of Business Administration, Cornell University, New York and Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
CERTIFICATIONS
- 2006 - Certified Acquisition Professional “Level 1” Life Cycle Logistics, Defense Acquisition University 2020 Certified Acquisition Professional “Level 2” Life Cycle Logistics, Defense Acquisition University 2020 Executive Certification, “Digital Transformation Strategy,” Cornell University
- 2020 - Executive Certification, “Diversity and Inclusion,” Cornell University
ASSIGNMENTS
- Aug 1999 - Aug 2001 Installation Deployment Officer, 12 Flying Training Wing (AETC), Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
- Aug 2001 - Aug 2003 Chief of Bilateral/Base Support Plans, 605 Air Support Squadron (PACAF), Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan
- Aug 2003 - Jul 2004 Chief of Exercises & NEO, 605 Air Support Squadron (PACAF), Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan
- Jul 2004 - Aug 2005 Officer in Charge of Air Freight, 730 Air Mobility Squadron (AMC), Yokota Air Base, Japan
- Aug 2005 – Apr 2008 Depot Automatic Test Systems Program Manager, 742 Combat Sustainment Group (AFMC), Robins AFB, Georgia
- Aug 2007 – Apr 2008 Officer in Charge, Redistribution Property Assistance Team, 2nd/402d Army Field Support Brigade, COB Speicher, Iraq
- Apr 2008 – Aug 2008 Director of Operations 565 Combat Sustainment Squadron, 742 Combat Sustainment Group (AFMC), Robins AFB, Georgia
- Aug 2008 – Jun 2009 Chief, Logistics Cost Sharing Program, United States Forces Korea J4 (PACOM), USAG Yongsan, Korea
- Jun 2009 – Nov 2010 Chief, Multi-National Logistics Branch, United States Forces Korea J4 (PACOM), USAG Yongsan, Korea
- Feb 2010 – Apr 2010 Advanced LRO Course Student, USAF Mobility Operations School, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
- Dec 2010 – Apr 2012 IDE Student, Naval Postgraduate School Masters Program, Naval Postgraduate School (AFIT), Monterey, CA
- Apr 2012 – Jun 2012 JPME II Student, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
- Jun 2012 – Jun 2013 Commander, Detachment 1 36 Mission Support Group (PACAF), Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
- Jun 2013 – Jun 2015 Commander, 23 Logistics Readiness Squadron (ACC), Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
- Jun 2015 – Jun 2017 Chief, State-Defense Integration Division, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US Department of State, Washington DC
- Jun 2017 – Jul 2018 Senior Political-Military Advisor, Office of Multilateral Affairs, Bureau of East Asian & Pacific Affairs, US Department of State, Washington DC
- Jul 2018 – Jun 2019 Joint & Combined Warfighting School Instructor (JPME II), Assistant Professor, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
- Jun 2019 – Jul 2020 Military Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisitions) Logistics & Product Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
- Jul 2020 – Jul 2022 Chief, Strategic Partnership Division, Air Force Resilience Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
- Jul 2022 – Present Commander, 18th Mission Support Group (PACAF), Kadena Air Base, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- August 2008 - Nov 2010, logistics staff officer, Logistics Directorate (J4), United States Forces Korea, USAG Yongsan,Korea, as a major
- July 2018 – June 2020, Assistant Professor, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, as a lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
- Department of State Superior Honor Award (Defense Superior Service Medal equivalent)
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
- Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Army Commendation Medal
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
- 374 Air Wing Tenant Unit Company Grade Officer of the Year (2004)
- 715 Air Mobility Operations Group Aerial Port Flight of the Year (2004)
- 15 Expeditionary Mobility Task Force Best Air Terminal (2004)
- Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Acquisitions Excellence Award (Jul-Dec 2006)
- 542 Combat Sustainment Wing Technical Management Team of the Year (2007)
- USFK Air Force Element Company Grade Officer of the Year (2008)
- USFK J4 Field Grade Officer of the Year (2009)
- Advanced Logistics Readiness Officers Course “Outstanding Research Paper” Award (2010)
- 23 Wing Logistics Readiness Field Grade Officer of the Year (2014)
- Department of State nominee for the USAF International Affairs Excellence Award (2016)
PUBLICATIONS
- “US to the Rescue!” Exceptional Release (Logistics Officer’s Association Journal), 2010
- “Becoming a Better Trained Airmen through Harvard Business School’s HBX CORe Program” Exceptional Release (Logistics Officer’s Association Journal), Winter 2016
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
- Second Lieutenant Aug 20, 1999
- First Lieutenant Aug 20, 2001
- Captain Aug 20, 2003
- Major Jul 1, 2009
- Lieutenant Colonel Dec 1, 2014
- Colonel Nov 1, 2020
(Current as of July 22)