March 2021 Veteran of the Month
Tellico Village VFW Post 12135
VETERAN OF THE MONTH
Rafael Pubillones was born in 1951 and lived in Guantanamo, Cuba with his mother, father, and 3 brothers. He attended local schools through the 6th grade. In 1964 the family legally immigrated to the United States via Mexico City for three months of processing, and then on to Miami for a short time, and finally to New York City to meet his sponsors.
Once in NY, Rafael entered the school system, repeating the 6th grade for the sole purpose of learning English. With pocket dictionary always at hand, he studied and also played baseball. It was during high school that he met his future wife, Michele. Following graduation, he went on to the City College of New York and joined the Air Force ROTC program at Fordham University. He graduated with a degree in Political Science and received a commission as a U.S. Air Force 2/Lt.
Now married to Michele, his first assignment was as a Minuteman Combat Crew Commander in the missile silos at Malmstrom AFB, MT in 1976. In 1980 he transferred to Washington, DC, as a Desk Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. In 1983 he was assigned to U.S. Southern Command in Panama, and in 1986 on to the 12th Tactical Intelligence Squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas.
His next assignment was to Headquarters Twelfth Air Force where he was Chief of Intelligence Plans and Programs. In 1990, Rafael and his family went to Korea where he was a Strategic Policy Officer with U.S. Forces Korea until 1992. This was followed by a transfer to Offutt AFB, NE, where he served as chief of the DIA National Emergency Airborne Command Post Division.
Rafael moved to Scott AFB, IL, in 1995 as the commander of the U.S. Transportation Command Joint Intelligence Center. From 1997 to 1999, he was the commander of Southern Command’s Joint Intelligence Center; Southern Command had moved from Panama to Miami at that time. Following his assignment in Miami, Rafael and Michele went to Ramstein Airbase in Germany, where he served as Deputy Director of Intelligence for U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
His final assignment from 2001 to 2003, was as Director of the Underground Facility Analysis Center, where he was the Intelligence Community manager for all hardened underground issues and directly supported the Global War on Terrorism and the US Central Command.
In 2003, Rafael retired from the Air Force as a Colonel and decided to stay in Washington to work for Lockheed Martin, a major government contractor. He was hired initially as program manager and later became a business development manager. He retired in 2008 and he and Michele moved to Tellico Village to be close to at least one of their two adult children with one in Oak Ridge and the other in Florida.
Rafael has been busy in his retirement. He has been studying for 3 ½ years to become a deacon in the Catholic Church with another 1 ½ years to go. On top of that, he conducts a prison ministry in Morgan County where once a week he visits prisoners, serving their religious needs. Since COVID began, he can only exchange letters with them but is hopeful to be able to return to his visits. AWE hospitality has generously donated a $25 gift certificate to Rafael, with heartfelt appreciation for his service to our Country!
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