The most unusual thing about Columbus, NM is: The most unusual things are the rule here. Not the exception.
op-ed by BigAddison
Like today for instance. I conduct a tour about the most infamous day in the history of Columbus. March 9, 1916. That’s the day Pancho Villa’s men “The Villaista’s” raided Columbus and killed 8 civilians and 10 soldiers. (see tour info here)
My group on this tour turned out to be FIVE STARS! Yep, the 5-star General Héctor Valerio Ardón. The head of the Honduran Military. The General was visiting Fort Bliss in El Paso (I didn’t ask why), and had a free day with his entourage to buzz west 75 miles along the border wall to Columbus, NM.
It was my honor and privilege to usher the General around all the sites and scenes of that fateful day. My wish is America would discover Columbus, NM history is home to some of America’s most significant military advances including the birthplace of the U.S. Airforce, the last ride of the U.S. Calvary, and the first use of Tanks, led by Lt. George Patton. Not kidding even a little bit!
General Héctor Valerio Ardón takes over as the new commander of the Army
General Hector Benjamin Valerio Ardon.
The Armed Forces, through its Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Roosevelt Hernández, appointed Brigadier General Héctor Benjamín Valerio Ardón as the new head of the Army Force.
Valerio Ardón was promoted to Brigadier General, serving as Deputy Inspector General of the Armed Forces.
He is married to Mrs. Esla Edith Hernández Pineda, with whom he has two children: Josy José Valerio Hernández and Rosselyn Bellesly Valerio Hernández.
The current Army commander was born on May 4, 1970, in the municipality of San Matías, department of El Paraíso. His parents were Mr. Héctor Benjamín Valerio Castellanos (QDDG) and Mrs. Isabel Dolores Ardón Castellanos (QDDG).
He began his military training in 1989 at the General Francisco Morazán Military Academy of Honduras, where he earned the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Cavalry and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1992.
In 1989 he completed the basic military parachuting course and in 1992 the Specialized Troops in Jungles and Night Operations (TESON) course at the Second Airborne Infantry Battalion. In 1992 he completed the Cadet Orientation course at Fort Benning, Georgia, United States. In 2001 he completed the Integrated Medium Course and in 2005 the Command and Staff Course at the Army Officers’ Application School.
In 2011 he completed the Command and General Staff course and in 2014 the Advanced Military Studies Course (CAEM) at the Command and General Staff School of Honduras, in 2013 he completed the Command and General Staff course at the China Defense University, Taiwan and the National Development course at the Fu Shing Gan University of China Taiwan, in 2024 he completed the Introduction to Operational Planning Concepts course, taught by the Directorate of Military Training and Cooperation of the Department of National Defense of Canada, in CECOPAZ, Lima, Peru.
During his military career, he has completed other courses such as: Basic Military Intelligence at the Army’s Military Intelligence School, Bomb Squadron, Dignitary Protection, and Reaction Shooting, English at the Army Language School, and Environmental and Nature Protection at the 1st Engineer Battalion.
At the National Institute of Vocational Training (INFOP), he completed the courses English First Discoveries, English Basic, and MS Excel Basic, as well as the courses Ethics, the Human Being, and Science from the National Institute of Technology of Mexico and My Encounter with Diversity from the Mexican Ministry of Public Education. At the Command and Staff College, he completed the Mobile International Defense Management Course.
He participated in the training exchange contingent between Honduras and Puerto Rico as a platoon commander.
He has participated as an instructor in various TESON courses for Specialized Jungle and Night Operations Troops, and has also been called up for various Army and Armed Forces volleyball teams.
He has held various positions such as Platoon Commander, Squadron Commander, Chief of Human Resources (S-1), Chief of Operations and Training Organization (S-3), Director of the Cavalry School and Director of the First Recablin Institute in the First Armored Cavalry Regiment, Aide-de-camp to the First Minister of Civil Defense, Edgardo Dumas Rodríguez, and Company Commander at the Northern Military High School.
He is also a Case Officer at the Bomb Squadron in San Pedro Sula, Squadron Commander at Central Command, Squadron Commander and Chief of Civil Affairs at the Special Operations Command (COES).
At the General Francisco Morazán Military Academy of Honduras, he served as Tactical Officer of the Cadet Knights of the 4th Military Year on their study trip to Fort Benning, Georgia, United States, deputy commander and commander of the Cadet Corps, head of the Department of Organization, Operations and Training, and head of the Academic Division.
He served as a Staff Officer at the Army Officers’ Application School and as an instructor at the Command and General Staff School. He was later transferred to the Special Command of the Military Police of Public Order as Chief of Human Resources (PM-1), and then assigned to the Presidential Honor Guard, serving as Presidential Squadron Commander, Head of the Human Resources Department (P-1) and Head of the Organization, Operations and Training Department (P-3).
He also served as commander of the Maya Chortí Interinstitutional Joint Task Force. He was commander of the First Armored Cavalry Regiment and the Ground Shield Mission in the La Mosquitia Region, Gracias a Dios; director of the Támara Prison Center; and director of the Armed Forces Military Training Center (CAMFFAA).
He was also an aide to former President Juan Orlando Hernández.
Among his most recent positions is that of commander of the First Environmental Protection Battalion.
He has been awarded letters of commendation, congratulations and thanks, certificates of recognition, honorable mentions, a bronze, silver and gold conduct medal, a distinguished service medal, a Grand Cross of Distinguished Service medal, and a first and second class medal of honor for merit.
He was also awarded the Medal of Excellent Efficiency from the Taiwanese Defense University of China and the Magna Cum Laude Medal from the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
He graduated as a primary school teacher from the Pedro Nufio Mixed Normal School, holds a degree in Military Sciences from the Defense University of Honduras; a master’s degree in business administration with a focus on finance from the National Autonomous University of Honduras; a diploma in university teaching from the Defense University of Honduras; and a Mandarin language course from Chung Yuan Christian University in China, Taiwan. (XM)