Col. Marisol A. Chalas is a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter commander (the first Hispanic women in reach that position), and the officer in charge of operations and training for the US Army Reserve Aviation Command, with over 250 aircraft and 4,000 personnel under her command.

Col. Chalas was born in Bani, Dominican Republic, and moved to the United States with herfamily to Massachusetts at the age of nine. She began her military career as an enlisted Soldier in July 1990. In 2001 she was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Aviation branch from the Georgia Military Institute Officer Candidate School.

Col. Chalas has operations and strategic experience at the Division, Corps, Combatant Command (COCOM) and Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) level. Col. Chalas’ international duties entail Battle Captain and Platoon Leader during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Aviation Liaison in the Dominican Republic under a Combined Joint Task Force. Other assignments include Lean Six Sigma advisor, Force Management, Exchange Officer serving with the Canadian Forces in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, two rotations as Company Commander and Garrison Commander.

Her military education includes Aviation Officer Basic Course, UH-60 Aviator Qualification Course, Aviation Captain’s Career Course; Intermediate Level Education (ILE), the Army Force Management Course, the Advance Operations Course (AOC) and the Strategic Fellows Program at The Institute of World Politics in Washington, DC. Col. Chalas received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University, a Master in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. She is a certified Lean and Six Sigma Black Belt.

Col. Chalas has an extensive corporate career record with vast international experience. She worked for GE, where she held severalsenior management roles. She worked in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Col. Chalas is a graduate of GE’s Nuclear Technical Leadership Program. She also worked for Booz Allen Hamilton as a Process Improvement Consultant.

Her awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal (5 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal (Bronze Service Star), Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (Silver Hourglass/M Device), Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, FORSCOM Ironwoman Award, GEN George J. Hearn Trophy, Senior Aviator Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge.

She is a recipient of the Propeller Club Port of Boston Academic Award, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonel, and was named Maritime Person of the Year by Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2016, where she is also a member of the Board of Trustees. Col. Chalas received the USCIS Outstanding American by Choice award in 2017. In March 2021, she was awarded the Medal of Merit by Dominican President Luis Abinader. Col. Chalas is the recipient of the Dominican Republic Air Force Order of Merit with White Distinction.

Col. Chalas served as a Legislative Fellow for Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Minnesota District 4, in the United States House of Representatives. She later served as Army Congressional Budget Liaison in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army Financial Management and Comptroller (ASA-FM&C). She was responsible for Aviation, Missiles, and Chemical portfolios. Col. Chalas served as the Legislative Assistant to the 37th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Pentagon. She then served as Reserve Schools Branch Chief at HRC, Fort Knox, KY. She recently completed a successful Garrison Command in July 2024. Col. Chalas serves on the Executive Board of the 80th Training Command (TC) Female Mentoring & Morale Program (FMMP).