Class Year: Pledged in 1990 and Got Commission in 1996

ARNOLD AIR SOCIETY EAGLE SQUADRON AFROTC DETACHMENT 755 UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO Rio Piedras Campus

Name: Santos O. Muñoz

Class Year: Pledged in 1990 and got commission in 1996

Nickname (if the Arnies gave you one): Pledge name was Loring (AFB) but as a cadet my buddies call me “Spielberg” when I had my video camera out or “Miyagi” when I was taking pictures (I did that a lot!). When I was a Pledge Training Officer (PTO) the pledges called me “Papa Bear” (some of them still do). FYI, my go-by is “Monk” now.

Where do you study and/or work? I started in the Colegio Regional de Carolina (1989). I did my GMC years there but back then they didn’t have a bachelors program so I had to transfer to the Interamerican University Metro were I finished my POC years with a BA in Business and MA in Labor Relations. While at school, I worked at the Tiendita Holsum in Carolina.

If you are in the Air Force, rank, base and job assignment? Major; Chief, Space and Missile Operations Section, HQ PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

Address: Home Work Santos O. Muñoz HQ PACAF/A5RI 2424-C Challenger Loop 25 E. Street, Suite I-232 Honolulu, HI 96818 Hickam AFB, HI 96853

Phone Number (s): ( H ) 787-948-8299 / ( W ) 808-449-8967

E-Mail: ( H ) [email protected] / ( W ) [email protected]

Stories, dates, tidbits or anything that you may remember about things that happened while you were part of the squadron: My time in ROTC and the AAS was one of the best times of my life! I made life long friedships. I started college and ROTC in the fall of 1989, right after High School (Colegio Maria Auxiliadora in Carolina).

As a GMC, I was very lucky by passing the AFOQT on my first try (my second semester) without knowing what the test was. Then Capt Ismael Burgos, told me to show up one Saturday morning for what I thought was going to be some sort of diagnostic or demographic test. I didn’t know that the results of that day would change my life or open so many opportunities for me. That year was also rumor that ROTC Det 755 was on its way to be close down. When the powers and influence of the retired community (i.e. Lt Col Irizarry, ROA, MOWW, etc.) got mobilized, they were successful in maintaining it open and allowing my generation to get in.

The coolest thing for me as an Arnold must be when I was a PTO. By that time (1995) pledge training was week (10 started and 11 got initiated, what’s up with that!) and I was committed to bring a new quality of actives on-board. I brought back hell week and the camp (with some higher level of “stress” so to speak). The Cadre and the then AAS/CC thought was illegal but I did it anyway (without them knowing) with the help of old school Arnies that were outside ROTC at the time. I believe that generation was a cut above of the rest (90% of them got commission) and that they REALY EARNED their Blue and Gold Fourragere.