There’s a common thread that weaves through the various stages of Eddie Ramos’s life. From childhood, through his time in the military, and to his continued service with the American Red Cross, Eddie Ramos shows up with determination and a forward-thinking mindset.

His work ethic, or as he calls it, ‘grit,’ was a quality ingrained in him at an early age while growing up in a public housing unit within a small Connecticut city.

“My parents moved from Puerto Rico in pursuit of the American dream,” Eddie said. “The city demographics at the time was approximately 15% Hispanic and I was made aware daily I was on the outside, looking in. I grew up as a minority and no one in my family had a college education at the time. I was starting at a disadvantage, but determined my past would not dictate my future.”

In 1997, Eddie joined the Air Force, dedicating most of his years in service to Air Force Special Warfare units. His specialty was Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), and its role is to provide air support to Army and Marine Units on the ground. “As a forward air controller, I helped manage the battlefield,” he says. He deployed twice to Kuwait and Iraq and three times to Afghanistan. His military decorations include the Bronze Star. He retired as Master Sergeant.

After retirement, Eddie was pursuing a graduate degree in management and discovered the Red Cross as a great place to build marketable experience. He signed up as a volunteer with the Red Cross Northwest Region, serving in a volunteer role that included helping new volunteers find their match within the various positions of the Red Cross.

“My time as a volunteer screener helped me not only better understand the Red Cross mission, but also exposed me to its culture,” Eddie said. “I saw firsthand this is a ‘people first’ organization and began to feel the Red Cross might be a perfect place to begin my second career!”

When his volunteer supervisor recommended that he consider applying for a position as an employee with the Red Cross, Eddie moved forward with optimism and an open heart. In 2022, he was selected as the Northwest Field Operations Manager for Red Cross Training Services and Service Delivery.

“In this role, I manage Training Services programming, ensure quality assurance, optimize resources, and adhere to business processes across five states. I recruit, develop, and maintain CPR instructor personnel, supervise their performance, including onboarding and mentoring instructors employed as contracted partners,” Eddie explains.

In this role, Eddie discovered that many of the skills he gained as a service member transferred seamlessly.

“There I was required to prepare my team for real-world, life-threatening circumstances. Responding to life-threatening situations is quite literally our Training Services’ mission,” Eddie said.

It made the opportunity feel personal, and it was in recognizing the similarities that Eddies says, “I knew I found my home in the Red Cross.”

If you ask him now, Eddie will tell you that the best part of his job is the people he gets to work alongside.

“This organization is comprised of some of the nicest, caring, and dedicated staff I have ever encountered,” he said. “What is even more impressive is their humanity. Even when our operations tempo accelerates and it begins to feel overwhelming, my peers and senior leaders still find time for a laugh, smile, and keep a positive attitude.”

Reflecting on his past, Eddie says he’s proud of both his heritage and his journey. Knowing what it’s like to feel excluded and face adversity has instilled in him a commitment to helping others whenever he can.

“I love to recognize and cultivate the potential in others,” he said. Developing new instructors who often have no prior experience into confident and capable first responders is a privilege I hold close to my heart.”

And to think of what his young self may have envisioned was possible while living in that small Connecticut town, Eddie takes pride in all he’s accomplished. However, staying true to those traits of determination and forward-thinking, he believes that more memorable milestones lie ahead.

“It’s not over yet. I’m so excited to see what’s next!” he says.