Lieutenant Colonel Franklyn A. Colorado enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 1996 out of Miami, Florida. While enlisted, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado performed duties as an AV-8B Harrier Mechanic, Marine Corps Recruiter, and Aviation Maintenance School Supervisor Instructor. From 1998 to 1999, he deployed ISO Operations Southern Watch and Eager Mace, and Exercise Rim of the Pacific with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). In 2006, he deployed ISO Operation Iraqi Freedom 5-7 with the 11th MEU, and in 2007, he deployed with the Unit Deployment Program/31st MEU, to Okinawa, Japan. As a Gunnery Sergeant In December 2009, he attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Park University and was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program in April 2010.
In June 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado reported to Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia where he graduated as the Battalion Honor Graduate for Officer Candidate Course 204 and received the Leadership and Gung Ho awards. He was commissioned in August 2010 and in March 2011 he graduated from The Basic School in the top ten percent and was placed on the Commanding General’s Honor Roll and received meritorious Career Designation. Lieutenant Colonel Colorado was assigned as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and in July 2011, he reported to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39 (MALS-39), Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Camp Pendleton, California, where he served as the Airframes Division Officer and Production Control Officer. In July 2012, he was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164, where he served as the Maintenance Material Control Officer, Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and Avionics Officer. He supported Integrated Training Exercises and assisted in the logistical coordination of two POTUS support missions in support of Marine Helicopter Squadron One. Lieutenant Colonel Colorado helped plan and coordinate the Maintenance Department’s transition from the CH-46E to the MV-22B platform in spring 2014.
Lieutenant Colonel Colorado was selected on the FY 2014 Commandant’s Career Level Education Board and attended the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, in conjunction with his selection to become a Latin America Foreign Area Officer (FAO). In October 2015, he subsequently reported to Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Monterey, California, where he completed the Portuguese language curriculum, providing him with language proficiency in Portuguese in addition to Spanish. In May 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado reported to U.S. Consulate General, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he was based while conducting In-Region-Training throughout Brazil, South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
In June 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado reported to MALS-36, MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, where he served as the Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Ground Support Equipment Officer, and Continuous Process Improvement Officer. While assigned to MALS-36, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado was selected as the 1st MAW 2019 Marine Aviation Ground Officer of the Year.
In October 2020, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado reported to U.S. Embassy Mexico City, U.S. Northern Command, where he served as the Marine Corps Section Chief in the Office of Defense Coordination, a FAO-Joint billet. Lieutenant Colonel Colorado was selected through the FY 2023 Commandant’s Professional Intermediate-Level Education Board to attend resident Foreign Professional Military Education through the Joint Command and Staff Program-49, at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Canada.
In July 2023, Lieutenant Colonel Colorado returned to MALS-39, MCAS Camp Pendleton to serve as the Operations Officer, in August 2024 he assumed the duties as the Executive Officer and was promoted to his present grade in November 2024.
Lieutenant Colonel Colorado holds a Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Defense Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. His personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with three bronze stars, and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.