Presidential Helicopters Program
The empowered professionals of the Presidential Helicopters Program Office (PMA-274) expeditiously provides safe, ready, high-performing, and affordable aircraft, capabilities, and support to Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1).
Colonel Alex Ramthun, U.S. Marine Corps
Program Manager, Presidential Helicopters Program
Colonel Alex J. Ramthun, United States Marine Corps, serves as the Program Manager for the Presidential Helicopters Program Office (PMA-274), Program Executive Officer, Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs (PEO A) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland.
A native of Beloit, Wisconsin, Colonel Ramthun received a Marine officer commission in 2000 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics via the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) at the University of Kansas. Upon completion of The Basic School in 2001, he progressed through Naval Flight School to earn the designation of Naval Aviator and fixed wing jet pilot in 2004. Colonel Ramthun completed AV-8B replacement pilot flight training at Marine Attack Squadron 203 (VMAT-203) aboard MCAS Cherry Point, NC and began his first Harrier operational assignment with Marine Attack Squadron 542 (VMA-542) in 2005.
While at VMA-542, Colonel Ramthun deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) aboard USS Iwo Jima in 2006, supporting in combat missions for both Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In 2007, he deployed to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq flying combat missions in support OIF 06-08.2.
In 2009, Colonel Ramthun graduated from both the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) School and Marine Aviation Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) Air Officer Course and served with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment (1/6) as both the Battalion Air Officer and a Forward Air Controller. He deployed with 1/6 to clear Marjah in central Helmand Province, Afghanistan during Operation Moshtark in 2010.
From 2010-2013, Colonel Ramthun was assigned to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln NROTC Unit as the Marine Officer Instructor and Executive Officer. In 2011, he was the Company G Commanding Officer at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School (OCS) aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA.
Colonel Ramthun returned to the AV-8B Harrier operating forces in 2013, completing a department head tour with Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231) as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer (AMO). In 2015, he deployed in the AMO role with VMA-231 aboard USS Bonhomme Richard in support of the 31st MEU and flew missions in support of United States Indo-Pacific Command.
In 2016, Colonel Ramthun reported to the AV-8B Harrier Joint Program Office (PMA-257) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD to serve as Class Desk and Deputy Program Manager for Systems Engineering. In 2017, he served as a Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), working innovative advanced development efforts for game changing technologies.
Colonel Ramthun was designated as a Marine Corps Aviation Acquisition Officer (Military Occupational Specialty 8059) in 2018 and began a new role as the F402 Propulsion and Power Integrated Product Team Lead for the Harrier Program. During this same period, he was a Fellow at the Pentagon while participating in the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA) SIGMA junior acquisition executive leadership development program.
In 2019, Colonel Ramthun completed Top Level School (TLS) professional military education (PME) via the Secretary of Defense Executive Fellowship (SDEF) Program. Working at Shell Oil in Houston, TX, he served as the Program Director for Sanctions and Financial Crime Transformation within Global Business Excellence.
Colonel Ramthun returned to NAS Patuxent River, MD in 2020 as the Director of Marine Corps Programs at the Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems Program (PMA-266). He led the acquisition of the Commandant’s top aviation priority for Force Design 2030, the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MUX/MALE) MQ-9A Reaper and supporting sensors.
In 2022, Colonel Ramthun worked at the Pentagon as the Military Assistant for ASN(RDA). In an executive support role, he acted as the Senior Marine Corps Advisor to the Department of the Navy’s Senior Acquisition Executive. Prior to returning to NAS Patuxent River, MD as the Prospective PM at PMA-274 in 2023, he completed Joint PME II via National Defense University’s Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS) in Norfolk, VA.
In addition to his undergraduate degree, Colonel Ramthun has earned a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Sciences (I/O Psychology) from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He is also a graduate of career level non-resident Expeditionary Warfare School, intermediate level non-resident United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College, resident TLS via SDEF, and resident JPME II via JCWS. Additionally, he completed resident Defense Acquisition University education and earned Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III, Practitioner, and Advanced certifications in the field of Program Management.
Colonel Ramthun has accumulated nearly 1,500 flight hours in various aircraft, to include more than 300 combat flight hours and nearly 200 shipboard landings in the AV-8B Harrier. He has also attained multiple flight leadership and combat pilot qualifications during his military flying career.
Colonel Ramthun’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (Third Award), Air Medal (Third Award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. He also received the 2018 Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) Lieutenant General Michael A. Hough Marine Aviation Acquisition Officer of the Year Award and 2012 National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Colonel Leo A. Codd Memorial Award as National ROTC Instructor of Year Award.
Location
47123 Buse Road, Bldg 2272
Patuxent River, MD 20670-1547
United States