 Ryan's first duty assignment was in the 3rd Infantry Division as a Tank Platoon Leader, Tank Company Executive Officer and Support Platoon Leader in the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor in Kitzingen, Germany.After serving as the S-3 Air, he commanded Alpha Company, then Headquarters & Headquarters Company of the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor, 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas.He returned to Germany as a maneuver company team Observer Controller at the Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC) at the Hohenfels Training Area (at Hohenfels, Bavaria) and then served as a Tank Battalion S-3 in both the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor, 8th Infantry Division in Wildflecken and the 5th Battalion, 77th Armor, 1st Armored Division in Mannheim.