Chief Master Sergeant Kevin Ryan Jr
Senior Enlisted Leader, NRO
Chief Master Sergeant Kevin W. Ryan Jr is the Senior Enlisted Leader, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia representing the highest level of enlisted leadership. The National Reconnaissance Office is responsible to the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence for research, development, acquisition, launch and operation of overhead reconnaissance capabilities providing the foundation for global situational awareness and responses to the nation's toughest intelligence challenges. Chief Ryan is the principal advisor to the Director, Deputy Director and Senior Staff on military readiness, professional development and mission effectiveness of the organization's joint enlisted personnel assigned at numerous locations across the globe.
Chief Ryan enlisted in the United States Air Force from his hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on August 27 2002; he then later transferred into the United States Space Force on September 8, 2020. His background includes various duties in satellite command and control, Ground-based and Space-based missile warning, training and evaluations, and Air Operations Center positions. He has been stationed in Colorado, Greenland, California, and Virginia.
Prior to his current leadership position, Chief Master Sergeant Ryan served as Senior Enlisted Leader for Aerospace Data Facility-East/NRO Delta 21 - Fort Belvoir, VA.
Education
2006
Airman Leadership School, Peterson Air Force Base, CO.
2007
Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS), Vandenberg AFB, CA.
2007
Associate in Applied Science, Air and Space Operations Technology - Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) - Maxwell AFB, AL.
2010
Associate in Applied Science, Instructor of Technology and Military Science - (CCAF) - Maxwell AFB, AL.
2011
CCAF Instructor Level II Certificate - (CCAF) - Maxwell AFB, AL.
2012
Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, JBSA - Lackland Air Force Base, TX.
2013
Professional Manager Certification - (CCAF) - Maxwell AFB, AL.
2018
Bachelor of Science, Technical Management and Logistics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL.
2018
Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2020
Project Management Professional Certification - Project Management Institute, Newton Square, PA.
2022
Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Assignments
1
August 2002 - Oct 2002
Student, Basic Military Trainee, 321st Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), TX.
2
October 2002 - Dec 2002
Student, 534th Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA.
3
January 2003 - April 2004
Satellite System Operator, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, CO.
4
April 2004 - September 2005
Satellite System Operator Instructor, 50th Operations Support Squadron Schriever AFB, CO.
5
September 2005 - April 2007
GPS Spacecraft Systems Specialist, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, CO.
6
April 2007 - December 2007
Mission Chief, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, CO.
7
December 2007 - Dec 2008
Missile Warning Crew Chief, 12th Space Warning Squadron, Thule Air Base, Greenland.
8
January 2009 - Nov 2011
Ground Based Training Instructor, 533d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB CA.
9
November 2011 - April 2013
NCOIC Training Assessment Element, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg AFB CA.
10
April 2013 - January 2016
NCOIC Master Space Plan Team, 614th Air Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB CA.
11
January 2016 - July 2016
Superintendent Strategy Plans Division, 614th Air Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB CA.
12
July 2016 - October 2017
Flight Chief, 2d Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO.
13
October 2017 - January 2019
Flight Chief, 460th Operations Support Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO.
14
January 2019 - August 2020
Superintendent, 11th Space Warning, Buckley Air Force Base CO.
15
September 2020- July 2021
Superintendent, National Reconnaissance Office Operations Center, Fort (Ft) Belvoir, VA.
16
July 2021 - September 2023
Senior Enlisted Leader, NRO Delta 21, Aerospace Data Facility -East, Ft Belvoir, VA.
17
September 2023 - Present
Senior Enlisted Leader, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, VA.
Major Awards and Decorations
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Air and Space Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award
- Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award
- AF Overseas Ribbon Short with 'A' Device
Other Achievements
- 2007 - 533d Training Squadron, Ballistic Missile Early Warning Course Distinguished Graduate
- 2012 - Distinguished Graduate, Robert D. Gaylor Non-Commissioned Officer Academy
- 2013 - 14th Air Force, Enlisted Space Operator of the Year
- 2014 - Air Force Space Command, Non-Commissioned Officer Space Operator of the Year
- 2017 - Air Force Space Command, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Space Warning Operator of the Year
- 2017 - Air Force, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Space Operator of the Year
Effective Dates of Promotion
- Chief Master Sergeant January 1, 2021
(CURRENT AS OF OCTOBER 2023)