Capt Soltero is a native of San Juan, PR. He received his commission in 1994 through the NROTC program at Rice University, where he graduated with a BA in history and political science. He was designated as a naval aviator in 1996 and assigned to fly the H-60 helicopter. Capt Soltero has completed multiple overseas deployments and accumulated over 4000 flight hours. He commanded HS-15 at NAS North Island, CA and HSC-25 at Andersen AFB, Guam. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval War College, where he earned an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies. He also holds an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.