Our forty-second recipient, Colonel Wilfred Rivera, completed the AMP at Harvard Business School in October 2023. Wilfred is currently serving as a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Commissioned into the Marine Corps with subsequent meritorious augmentation into the Marine Corps, he commanded at every echelon. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he notably led Combat Logistics Battalion 15 during critical deployments across the Middle East and the Western Pacific, providing crucial support to combat operations and exercises. As a Colonel, his responsibilities expanded to pivotal roles such as Branch Head, Installations & Logistics at Headquarters Marine Corps, where he formulated maintenance and supply policies critical to Marine Corps ground equipment sustainment. He also served as Chief of Staff for Marine Corps Installations Command, overseeing operations across 25 global Marine Corps installations, and commanded Marine Depot Maintenance Command. Under his leadership, the Marine Corps’ Organic Industrial Base underwent significant modernization efforts at Production Plants Albany, Georgia, and Barstow, California, benefiting from his direction of over 2,000 military and civilian personnel.
Wilfred’s career is distinguished by his strategic acumen in logistics and operational planning. He directed logistics and aviation ground support in the Pacific, played a pivotal role in the logistics surge in Iraq, and served as a planner in Monrovia, Liberia, supporting the United Nations Military Observation Group. Additionally, as a logistics strategist for U.S. European Command, he enhanced logistical theater security cooperation with allies and partners across Europe, supporting the Supreme Allied Commander Europe Area of Responsibility.
A native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Wilfred holds a BA in Political Science from Texas A&M University and dual Master’s degrees in General and International Management from Troy State University. His professional development includes the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program and the senior course at the NATO Defense College, certifications in Advanced International Protocol, and Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Recognized for his contributions, he was inducted into the Puerto Rico Distinguished Veterans Hall of Fame in 2021.
Wilfred and his wife, Dana, have two children.