Special Guest - Major General Juan G. Ayala, United States Marine Corps (Retired)

Major General Juan G. Ayala

We are thrilled to announce that Major General Juan G. Ayala, United States Marine Corps (Retired), will be joining us as a special guest at the Adobo Throwdown 3.0. Major General Ayala brings with him a wealth of experience and an impressive legacy of leadership and service.

With a storied career in the United States Marine Corps, Major General Ayala has been a paragon of dedication and excellence. His strategic insights and commitment to service have made him a revered figure in the military community. His journey is a testament to the values of honor, courage, and commitment, serving as an inspiration to all who have the privilege of hearing his story.

 A native of El Paso, Texas, Mr. Ayala retired as a Major General in the United States Marine Corps after 36 years of service. He is currently the Director, Military and Veteran Affairs Department for the City of San Antonio. In this capacity, he serves as the city’s liaison to the military supporting the Mayor, City Council and city departments. He works closely with military and civilian partners to ensure military missions and installations continue to thrive and grow in the region. From March to August 2020, he was assigned to the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce where he concurrently served as the Chamber’s Interim President and CEO. Successfully completing the Chamber assignment, he was temporarily assigned from August 2020 to September 2021 as the City of San Antonio’s Operations Lead for the COVID – 19 Response Team. 

Prior to his retirement, Major General Ayala commanded all 24 Marine Corps installations worldwide and was selected to lead the Department of Defense’s 2015 Warrior Games assisting the nation’s wounded, ill and injured warriors in their recuperative efforts. He is the former Inspector General of the Marine Corps and his service includes 4 combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, to include a year as the Senior Advisor of a Military Transition Team embedded with the 1st Iraqi Army Division. 

Past military assignments include:  Coordinated humanitarian assistance programs in 50 countries throughout Africa, Eastern Europe, and former Soviet Bloc countries, served as the Chief of Staff at United States Southern Command leading a staff in the implementation of U.S. national security objectives in 31 countries throughout the Western Hemisphere, to include coordinating detainee operations in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, supported humanitarian relief operations after the Haiti Earthquake of 2010, supported Haitian/Cuban refugee operations in Cuba, and coordinated civilian law enforcement counterdrug efforts along the U.S. Southwest Border.  

Mr. Ayala received an MBA from Campbell University, an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and a BA in Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.

His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit w/ “V” Combat Distinguishing Device, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (4 stars), the Combat Action Ribbon.

He is the recipient of the 2007 Excellence in Military Service Award from the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the 2022 Heroes of Military Medicine Award from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, and the 2023 LATINA Style Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. 

He currently serves on the Governor of Texas’ Advisory Council on Cultural Affairs and is a board member of Visit San Antonio, and the National Veterans Outreach Program (GI Forum). He is the President of the Texas Mayors of Military Communities representing the 14 communities that host military installations in the state of Texas. Since 2016 he has taught Leadership and Ethics as a Visiting Instructor at the Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.  

An avid cyclist and hiker he completed the 500-mile El Camino de Santiago walk in France/Spain in October of 2022. He is married to the former Diane K. Reyes of El Paso, Texas. They have three daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.