Current News | Military Honors | Links | Home | How to Donate | Biography Ryan joined the Marine Corps after graduating salutatorian of his high school class in Oakland, Illinois. He was captain of his football team, a published poet, and recipient of some of the most prestigious awards his school and surrounding Universities offered, including the Phi Beta Kappa Young Scholar Award from Eastern Illinois University. During his time in the Marine Corps, Ryan served on various U. S. Installations as a Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team member (FAST), and then went on to join the tip of the spear forces of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines in the ferocious streets of the Sunni Triangle and Fallujah Iraq in 2004. Ryan and his unit saw some of the worst hand-to-hand and close quarters urban combat since Hue City in Vietnam. Roughly half of Ryan's platoon was injured or killed in the first five days of the battle for Fallujah, including his roommate and best friend. Ryan was also one of these wounded Marines, having been shot 3 times by enemy AK-47 fire at close range in the infamous "House from Hell" which was later depicted in author Bing West's book No True Glory and SgtMaj. Brad Kasal's biography, My Men are My Heroes. Ryan was awarded the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation with combat distinguishing device for his valor under fire. Upon Ryan's honorable discharge from active service, he attended Southwestern Illinois Community College and later transferred as a 4.0 honors student to the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he resided with his wife Amanda Weemer of 2 years while working on a bachelors and masters degree in Clinical Social Work. Ryan aspires to become a counselor and conduct research with returning Combat Veterans and be able to give back to those Veterans who never received the help they deserved and now have available today. While maintaining his full time student status, Ryan worked full time as a Peer-to-Peer Counselor with Interlink Counseling Services, utilizing his training and compassion for others for the benefit of the many chemically dependent and homeless Veterans in the Louisville area. Ryan and his wife also volunteered their time to the Marine Corps League detachment in Louisville. Ryan is a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Provisional Life member of the VFW.