Noel Zamot

Colonel Noel Zamot (born December 21, 1965) is a retired United States Air Force officer who was the first Hispanic Commandant of the Air Force's elite Test Pilot School. Zamot is a former combat and test aviator with over 1900 hours in B-52, B-1B, B-2A, F-16D and over 20 other aircraft. He created the first system for testing complex military systems in contested cyberspace for the United States. Zamot is also the founder of Corvus Analytics, a consulting firm which helps its clients to design and develop cyber resiliency for complex systems.

Noel Zamot
Col. Noel Zamot
First Hispanic Commandant of the Air Force's elite Test Pilot School
Birth nameNoel Zamot Cordero
Born (1965-12-21) December 21, 1965
Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1987-2012
Rank
Colonel
Commands held1.97th Mission Support Group, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma (2008 – 2010).
2.United States Air Force Flight Test Center, Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California (2010 – 2012).
Battles/warsOperation Desert Storm
Other work1.Founder of Corvus Analytics
2.Revitalization Coordinator for the Oversight Board in Puerto Rico

Early years

Zamot (birth name:Noel Zamot Cordero[note 1]) was born and raised in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. He was accepted in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after he completed his primary education and graduated from high school. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree from MIT in 1986. In 1987, he earn a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering Degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan.[1][2][3]

Military career
Colonel Noel Zamot
USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California

He joined the United States Air Force in 1987, after graduating from the University of Michigan and became a commissioned officer with the rank of second lieutenant. In 1999, he completed a course called "Programa Avanzado de Administracion de Empresas" (Advanced Business Management Program), of the "Escuela de Administracion de Negocios para Graduados" (Graduate School of Business Administration) in Lima, Peru. That same year he graduated from the Air Command and Staff College.[2] His experience as a pilot include more than 2,000 flight hours. Included among his flight hours are over 200 combat hours and combat support hours. He has flown the B-52G, B-1B, B-2A, F-15, F-16, AT-38 and MiG-15.[1][4][3]

In 2001, he was assigned to the Directorate of Operations, United States Space Command, Paterson Air Force Base in Colorado as Deputy Chief of Operations Integration. According to the United States Air Force, Zamot's mission as Deputy Chief of Operations in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks was to integrate emerging national capabilities into a joint counter terrorism operation.[1][4] He developed concepts for long-term Information Operations and Space Control activities for the US enabling a multi-spectral combat response. He was also involved in the development of the Special Access Program (SAP) systems and in the development of new counter-space capabilities which resulted in a more effective counter-terrorism operation across 3 combat zones.[1][4][3]

In 2006, he served as the Chief of the training and exercises division of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Combined Land Headquarters in Madrid, Spain. As such, he represented the United States as the Senior National Representative. He was responsible for overseeing the conduct, execution and status of the US forces. He also trained the multinational NATO headquarters for a global contingency response.[1][4] That same year he was selected as a member of the NASA Astronaut Training Group 16 and became a semi finalist NASA astronaut candidate.[2] That same year he earned his Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College.[1][2][4][3]

In 2008, Zamot was named Commander of the 97th Mission Support Group of the 97th Air Mobility Wing, in the USAF's largest mobility training base, located in Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. He was responsible for the support of over 3000 military and civilian personnel. He also had to provide infrastructure management, construction support for installation hosting over 35 USAF aircraft.[1][4] Zamot was awarded two important recognition's; one for having the most effective installation infrastructure project management team for 2009 and the other for the most effective IT organization based on national cyber incident response.[1][2][4][3]

Zamot was named Commander of the United States Air Force's elite Test Pilot School in 2010, located in Edwards Air Force Base, California. Among his duties was to provide program management to eight flight research programs, liaising with international partners, and providing academic oversight for a Master's level engineering program. He created nation's first system for testing complex military systems in contested cyberspace. Other achievements during his tenure include:[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Zamot retired from the United States Air Force in 2012, after 25 years of military service.[1][4][11]

Corvus Analytics

After his retirement from the Air Force, he established and served as Senior Manager of Mission Systems Sector. The Mission Systems Sector provided program management and other services to the US Air Force, US Navy, US Coast Guard and Federal government. He also worked in the Acquisition Management Division of Wyle Aerospace Group, a multi-state Business Unit providing cyber-security to customers in the Department of Defense & Federal Government.[1][11][3]

In 2015, Zamot founded the Corvus Analytics in Bedford, Massachusetts. Among the services which the firm provides its clientele is the designing and development of cyber resiliency for complex systems.[1][11]

PREPA

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, a.k.a. "PREPA" was founded in 1941 and is the sole provider of electricity for 1.5 million customers.[12] The maintenance of the electrical system's infrastructure by the power authority, had been abandoned over the past decades. The impact of Hurricane Maria basically completed the destruction of the islands power grid leaving thousands of Puerto Rican households without electricity.[13] Whitefish Energy, a two-person operation, was given a $300 million, no-bid contract to restore the power grid in Puerto Rico. The Montana company's lack of experience with projects that big and its alleged ties to President Trump's administration were questioned and the contract was canceled.[14]

In 2017, Zamot was appointed and approved by Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo Rosselló to serve as the Revitalization Coordinator for the Oversight Board, replacing Aaron Bielenberg. The oversight board was created under the 2016 Puerto Rico rescue law known as "PROMESA".[15] Zamot made the following statement upon his appointment:[16]

"I feel honored to serve and give back to Puerto Rico, my birthplace, and contribute to its success,” “I look forward to working with government and the private sector to establish the conditions for future growth and to increase investment in our island,”

The Oversight Board nominated Zamot for the position of emergency manager. However, the governor of Puerto Rico, opposed the nomination before the U.S. Federal Court because he believed that the move was an overreach of the oversight board's authority. The U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain ruled against the installment of Zamot in said position.[14][15]

Personal life

Noel Zamot resides in Florida and is married to Diane Irene Zamot. They have two children, Noel Sebastian Zamot, a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Air Force, who Studied Systems Engineering at the United States Air Force Academy and Cameron Gabriel Zamo.[17] He is on the Board of Directors of the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA), a member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers and the Association of Old Crows.[11]

Awards and decorations
US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
w/ 2 bronze oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf clusters		 National Defense Service Medal
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster		 Southwest Asia Service Medal
W/ 2 service stars
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon Air Force Longevity Service Award
w/ 2 bronze oak leaf cluster		 Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Further reading

Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own; by : Greg Boudonck; ISBN 978-1497421837

See also

Notes
  1. In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Zamot and the second or maternal family name is Cordero.

References
  1. "Microsoft Word - Noel Zamot Resume July 2017 for release.docx"; Noel Zamot Strategy and Technology Executive Greater Boston Area"
  2. Biographies of Astronaut and Cosmonaut Candidates
  3. Zamot profile
  4. TPS commandant bids farewell to Edwards, retires after 25 years of service
  5. Thuloweit, Kenji (2010-07-07). "Test Pilot School Welcomes New Commandant". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  6. Hennigan, W. J. (2011-02-09). "Nation's first drone test pilot trainee has the right-click stuff". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  7. "Two RPA pilots graduate top of class at test pilot school". United States Air Force. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  8. Mowry, Laura (2012-04-25). "USAF TPS graduates first ever Enlisted Flight Test Course". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  9. Mowry, Laura (2012-05-14). "USAF TPS teaches students to fly, fight, win in cyberspace". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  10. Mowry, Laura (2012-06-20). "TPS commandant bids farewell to Edwards, retires after 25 years of service". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2013-03-09. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  11. CORVUS Leadership
  12. PREPA
  13. NBC News:Puerto Rico's new law moves to privatize power grid nine months after Hurricane Maria
  14. OBoard names Chief Transformation Officer for PREPA
  15. U.S. judge denies request for outsider to oversee Puerto Rico's PREPA
  16. Puerto Rico fiscal board announces appointment of revitalization coordinator
  17. News Herald
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