Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ryan Promoted To Colonel In Guard

James A. Jackie' Ryan Jr., formerly of Gurdon, was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army National Guard of the United States on Aug. 5.

He currently serves on the staff of the Adjutant General as the State Area Command Chaplain for the Arkansas Army National Guard. In this capacity he is responsible for matters relating to soldier morale and morals, the impact of religion, pluralism and ethics on the Arkansas National Guard, and issues relating to the military chaplaincy.

Ryan was born in Arkadelphia Feb. 6, 1951. He is a 1969 graduate of Gurdon High School. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in history from Ouachita Baptist University and a master of divinity degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas.

Ordained a Presbyterian minister on June 27, 1976, Ryan is currently a member of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He has served churches in Belcher and Dixie, La., Mount Pleasant, Texas, and Gulfport, Miss.

In May 1991 he was appointed a staff chaplain at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Little Rock/ North Little Rock. Ryan is currently supervisory chaplain for the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. He was selected the federal employee of the year in 1998 by the Federal Executive Association of Arkansas.

Ryan begin his military career on Dec. 9, 1980, as a chaplain (First Lieutenant) in the Texas Army National Guard. His assignments included Assistant Brigade chaplain, 3rd Brigade, 49th Armored Division Dallas, Texas; Battalion chaplain, 5th Battalion, 112th Armor, Marshall, Texas; Brigade chaplain, 3rd Brigade, 49th Armored Division, Dallas, Texas; Troop Command chaplain, 455th Transportation Battalion, Pine Bluff; Battalion chaplain, 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry, Malvern; and Brigade chaplain, 39th Infantry Brigade (enhanced), Little Rock.

Ryan's military education includes the U.S. Army chaplain officer basic and advanced courses, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

His awards include Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Arkansas Commendation Medal, Arkansas Service Ribbon, Arkansas Emergency Service Ribbon, Texas Medal of Merit with one cactus leaf, and Texas Faithful Service Medal.

Chaplain Ryan is the son of James A. Ryan, Major General, AUS (Ret.) of Little Rock, and Mrs. Betty Read Wells of Gurdon. He has three sisters, Mrs. Barbara Hesse of Arkadelphia, Mrs. Patricia Wingfield of Camden and Mrs. Mary Krikorian of Benton; and one brother, John Ryan of Little Rock.

He is married to the former Barbara Toombs of Gurdon, daughter of the late Duke and Mildred Toombs. They have three children, Jenny R., James A. III and Benjamin C.