Michael E. Ryan

For other people named Michael Ryan, see Michael Ryan (disambiguation).

Michael E. Ryan
Born	(1941-12-24) December 24, 1941
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1965–2001
Rank	General
Commands	61st Tactical Fighter Squadron 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing Allied Air Forces Southern Europe 16th Air Force U.S. Air Forces in Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Awards	See below

Michael E. Ryan (born December 24, 1941) is a retired United States Air Force general and was the 16th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from October 1997 - September 2001. He served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he and the other service chiefs functioned as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the president.

Military career

Receiving Distinguished Flying Cross from his father, Air Force Chief of Staff John D. Ryan (left), 1969.

Ryan entered the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1965; he was a graduate of Omaha Creighton Prep High School. He has commanded at the squadron, wing, numbered air force and major command levels. He flew combat in Southeast Asia, including 100 missions over North Vietnam. He also served in staff assignments at the major command level, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the Joint Staff.

Before assuming the Chief of Staff position, Ryan was Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As Commander of Sixteenth Air Force and Allied Air Forces Southern Europe in Italy, he directed the NATO air combat operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, including the bombing missions of Operation Deliberate Force, which created the context for the U.S. to broker the Dayton Peace Accords between the parties in conflict. Ryan personally approved every NATO target during the two-week Operation Deliberate Force campaign.

Ryan's father, General John Dale Ryan, was the 7th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, from 1969 to 1973.

Ryan retired from the U.S. Air Force on October 1, 2001.

Popular culture

• Ryan appeared as himself in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Prodigy". Richard Dean Anderson later recalled asking the general during filming if he had subordinates as irreverent as Anderson's character Jack O'Neill. Ryan replied, "Son, yes, we've got colonels like you and worse."

Awards and decorations

Personal decorations Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster Army Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters Air Medal with two silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters Unit awards Presidential Unit Citation Joint Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters Service awards Combat Readiness Medal Campaign and service medals National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars Armed Forces Service Medal Service, training, and marksmanship awards Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Air Force Training Ribbon Foreign awards Chilean Grand Cross of the Order of Aeronautical Merit South Korean Order of National Security Merit, Tong-il Medal Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 1st Class File:Order of the Sacred Treasure ribbon.JPG Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, 1st Class Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Knight Commander's Cross SICOFAA Legion of Merit Officer Medal Spanish Grand Cross of the Order of Aeronautical Merit Singaporean Meritorious Service Medal (Military) Brazilian Order of Aeronautical Merit French Legion of Honour, Commandeur Medal Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau, Commander Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia Vietnam Campaign Medal

Other accoutrements Command Air Force Pilot Badge Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

References

• Bio based on USAF Biography