[2] As a rear admiral, Zlatoper commanded Carrier Group Seven from the USS Ranger (CV-61) during the Gulf War.

He was also active on the boards of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor; the East–West Center; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation; Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i — Military Affairs Council; Catholic Charities Hawai'i; and was a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way.

During his time as an undergraduate at RPI, Ronald was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

[4][5] On July 29, 1967, Zlatoper, then a Lieutenant, kept a careful record of events in the squadron duty officer log of the 1967 USS Forrestal fire.

He is the honored recipient of the Japanese Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun and the Korean Presidential Tong Il medal.