Ryan retired from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) after 22 years, including 18 years in the Special Operations Group (SOG). Prior to Ryan’s career with the USMS, he served six years in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman attaining the rank of NCO and graduating US Army Sniper School. 

Ryan became a member of USMS SOG after successfully completing the selection process and spent 18 years with that unit. Ryan held positions as sniper, master breacher, and assistant team leader. Ryan helped develop the Entry Combatives Program within the SOG. Additionally, while a member of SOG, Ryan served in Kabul, Afghanistan, as second to the DOJ-USMS Chief of Mission. He supervised SOG personnel and Afghan interpreters as well as developed and implemented security upgrades to the Afghan courthouses to combat suicide bombings and direct attacks.

Ryan also served as a SOG supervisor in Baghdad, Iraq, supervising USMS-SOG personnel conducting high-threat and sensitive DOJ operations. He coordinated protection details for witnesses to testify against Saddam Hussein and his regime, as well as trained Iraqi police in security and motorcade operations. As a member of SOG, Ryan conducted high risk missions for the Department of Justice and the US Marshals Service throughout the United States. 

As a Deputy US Marshal Ryan protected Federal Courthouses, Federal Judges, Attorneys, and Witnesses. Ryan transported some of the most violent and dangerous prisoners the US has seen in the past several decades. As a Supervisory Deputy Marshal, Ryan oversaw a Violent Crimes Task Force targeting violent fugitives and sex offenders. 

Ryan was selected as an instructor at the USMS Academy Training Division located in Glynco, Georgia, where he spent two years teaching new students and Deputy US Marshals in tactics, investigations, and use of force. He also taught operational planning, land navigation, building entries, fugitive investigations, basic and advanced firearms training, breaching, vehicle operations and surveillance techniques. As the Program Manager for the USMS-Vehicle Operations program, Ryan analyzed program needs, revised testing procedures, evolved the training scenarios, and revised the lesson plans.

Ryan holds instructor certifications as a Use of Force Instructor, Active Shooter Threat Instructor, Law Enforcement Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Special Operations Combatives Program Instructor, High Risk Fugitive Apprehension Instructor, Impact Munitions Instructor, Vehicle CQB Instructor, Breaching Instructor, and Tactical Training Officer Instructor.