Colonel Shawn Ryan is the Commander of the 140th Mission Support Group, Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley AFB, Aurora, Colorado. The 140th Mission Support Group provides all personnel, communications, civil engineering, logistics, contracting and flight line security operations in support of the 140th Wing’s mission and 1500+ members. The Mission Support Group has five subordinate units with 338 personnel.
Colonel Ryan joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1999 after serving nine years active duty as a KC-135 and C-21 Instructor/Evaluator Pilot. He previously served as Commander of the 200th Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, CO, conducting C-21 airlift for the Joint Operational Support Airlift Center (JOSAC), Vice Chief of Staff Special Airlift Division (CVAM) and NORAD. While under his command, the 200 AS won 4 straight JOSAC Small Unit of the Year Awards.
Colonel Ryan started his military career at the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1990. He graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1991 and served as an Instructor and Evaluator Pilot in both the KC-135 and C-21aircraft at Grissom AFB, IN, Fairchild AFB, WA and Peterson AFB, CO. Col Ryan is a command pilot with more than 5500 hours in the KC-135 and C-21. He is a veteran of several overseas operations, including PROVIDE COMFORT, NORTHERN WATCH and SOUTHERN WATCH. He also served as executive officer for the National Guard Assistant to the Commander of NORAD/USNORTHCOM. In 2005, Col Ryan volunteered for duty in the NORTHCOM Command Center during the relief efforts following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Colonel Ryan has been married for 27 years to his wife, Eleanor. They have 2 children: Patrick and Megan. Patrick is a Captain serving in the Air Force as an F-22 pilot and Megan is a Senior at Yale University.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelors of Science in Physics, United States Air Force Academy, CO
1991 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
1992 KC-135 Initial Qualification, Castle AFB, CA
1994 KC-135 Aircraft Commander Qualification, Castle AFB, CA
1996 KC-135 Instructor Qualification, Altus AFB, OK
1996 C-21 Initial Qualification, Keesler AFB, MS
1997 C-21 Instructor Qualification, Keesler AFB, MS
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2004 Air Command and Staff College
2005 Advanced Instrument School, Tinker AFB, OK
2016 Air War College
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1990 – July 1991; Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
2. July 1991 – July 1993; Pilot, KC-135R, Grissom AFB, IN
3. July 1993 – July 1996; Instructor Pilot, KC-135R, Fairchild AFB, WA
4. July 1996 – Sept 1999, Evaluator Pilot, C-21A, 84th Airlift Flight, Peterson AFB, CO.
5. Sept 1999 – March 2013, Evaluator Pilot, C-21A, 200th Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, CO
6. March 2013 – June 2017; Commander, 200th Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, CO
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal, 3 devices
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal, 1 device
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award, 3 devices
Combat Readiness Medal 5, devices
National Defense Service Medal, 1 device
Southwest Asia Service Medal, 1 device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, 2 devices
AF Longevity Service, 5 devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal, 1 device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, 1 device
Navy Expert Rifle Medal
Navy Pistol Shot Medal
AF Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, 30 May 1990
First Lieutenant, 30 May 1992
Captain, 30 May 1994
Major, 30 May 2001
Lieutenant Colonel, 30 May 2008
Colonel, 11 July 2017
(Current as of July 2017)