Douglas and Rebecca Ryan made a promise to each other many years ago that continues to bear fruit.
“We made a promise that we would not wait to live our lives until after the military,” said Douglas, who has been stationed at Ellsworth since 2021. “If there is something we want to do and we have the means to do it, we are going to make those memories with our children. One thing I have learned is that time seems to move quicker and quicker as I get older and ‘wiser.’”
It has served them well as they have moved across the country multiple times, growing their family to four children, now 10, 7, 2 and 10 months. The couple is originally from Ohio. Douglas was enlisted for 14 years as a Master Sergeant performing Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) before moving into the medical field.
He has deployed overseas multiple times, including Iraq, Afghanistan, India and Russia. He became an instructor at the EOD school house at Eglin AFB and was accepted into the Interservice Physician Assistant Program in Texas for his first phase of schooling and then Keesler AFB, MS for the second phase. He is now a 1st Lt. physician’s assistant at Ellsworth.
He has two jobs in his new role. He is a Primary Care Manager at EAFB and he is also a Team Leader for a Surgical Resuscitation Team that deploys in support of combat operations.
He is well-decorated and carries the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, AF Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Achievement Medal, Army Combat Action Badge, Navy/Marine Combat Action Ribbon, AF Combat Action Medal and Presidential Unit Citation Award.
Changing his line of work had its ups and downs, he said.
“Being a medical provider is much different than doing EOD work,” he said. “I loved doing EOD work, but God was telling me it was time to move on and start the next chapter in our lives. I love people and helping them try to be their best. I want them to experience living a life with purpose and passion.”
Douglas is quick to give credit to his wife. It’s a challenge to do life without other family around, he said.
“There are days that I want to drop my kids off with my parents or in-laws and just take my wife out on a much-deserved date,” he said. “We have four with a farm, and she homeschools, she is the real hero.”
They live on 10 acres with cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits and cats and dogs. The Black Hills property gives them the space and opportunity to shoot guns, grow a garden, ride dirt bikes and play around on 4-wheelers.
“We love to do anything with our children that is outdoors, away from the busyness of life, where we get to see our kids laugh and play,” he said.
The partnership with his wife Rebecca is what makes it possible.
“There is no greater thing than having a loving wife that shares the same dreams, goals and ideals,” he said. “We get to raise children to love Jesus, family and friends, and this incredible country and show them they need to devote themselves to something greater than just themselves. It doesn’t get much better than that.”