Antonio J . Ramos Brigadier General Antonio J . Ramos ( born 1946 ) was an officer of the United States Air Force . He was the first Hispanic to serve as commander , Air Force Security Assistance Center , Air Force Materiel Command , and dual - hatted as Assistant to the Commander for International Affairs , Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command . Early years . In 1969 , Ramos was commissioned as a distinguished graduate of the University of Puerto Rico ' s Reserve Officer Training Corps program . His academic education in the University of Puerto Rico where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1968 . Early Military career . Ramos was sent to Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma where he completed his undergraduate pilot training in June 1970 . He was then assigned as a C - 133 pilot with the 84th Military Airlift Squadron , Travis Air Force Base , California . In August 1971 Ramos was reassigned to England Air Force Base , to attend C - 123K pilot training . He graduated in November 1971 and was transferred to 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron , Phan Rang Air Base and Tan Son Nhut Air Base , South Vietnam . In August 1972 was transferred to U - Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield in Thailand where he was the Base Operations Officer until November 1972 . Return to the United States . In December 1972 , Ramos returned to the United States upon completing his tour of duty in Vietnam and Thailand . He was assigned to Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma to be attend C - 5 Galaxy pilot training . In February 1973 he transferred to the 3rd Military Airlift Squadron , in Charleston Air Force Base , South Carolina until August 1973 . He was then transferred to Dover Air Force Base , Delaware where he was a pilot and aircraft commander , instructor pilot , and flight examiner for the 3rd Military Airlift Squadron . During this time Ramos attained a Master ' s degree in Education from Southern Illinois University and attended Squadron Officer School in Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . On July 1978 he became the Wing Flight Examiner for the 436th Military Airlift Wing , at Dover Air Force Base . After serving for five and a half years at Dover AFB he was transferred to Headquarters Air Mobility Command in Scott Air Force Base on February 1979 to be the Standardization and Evaluation pilot , Chief , Strategic Airlift Manning Section , and Chief , Air Crew Manning Branch . After his headquarters assignment Ramos attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama from August 1982 until graduating in June 1983 . He then continued on to Altus Air Force Base , Oklahoma to be the Operations Officer for the 56th Military Airlift Squadron . On June 1985 Ramos was transferred to Travis Air Force Base , California to take command of the 75th Military Airlift Squadron , where he served as Squadron Commander until July 1987 . In August 1987 , Ramos attended the Inter - American Defense College in Fort Lesley J . McNair , Washington , D . C . . In July 1988 he would start a series of assignments with emphasis to the Western Hemisphere . He would become Chief , Caribbean Basin Branch , later , Chief , Western Hemisphere Division ( J - 5 ) , for the Joint Staff , Washington , D . C . . In August 1991 Ramos was transferred to U . S . Southern Command in Panama as the Director , Strategy , Policy and Plans ( J - 5 ) . In August 1994 , Ramos would return to Headquarters Air Mobility Command , Scott Air Force Base to be the Inspector General . In December 1995 , Ramos returned to U . S . Southern Command , Panama as Special Assistant to the Commander in Chief . In August 1997 , Ramos would transfer to Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio for his final Air Force assignment as the Commander , Air Force Security Assistance Center and Assistant to the Commander for International Affairs , Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command . Brigadier General Ramos retired from the Air Force on August 1 , 1999 . Awards and recognitions . Among Brigadier General Antonio Ramos ' decorations and medals were the following : Badges :