Veteran Salute: Serving wherever the need be for nearly 4 decades
MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Serving around the globe in convoy security, bomb disposal, military police and beyond, Ryan Runyan made an impact for nearly 40 years with the Army.
“It pretty much helped me grow into the person that I am today," Runyan said. "I learned so much from the army and as a police officer as well. I like to think I made a difference.”
Make a difference he did, across Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea and more, Runyan always looked out for opportunities to lend a hand wherever the need be.
“So on 9/11 our unit, the 450th movement control down in Manhattan, Kansas, were designated to work convoy escort in Egypt," he said. "That’s how I actually got into the 450th, I was in an MP unit at the time. I took the phone call, he goes hey you guys have any MP’s that are interested in coming to the 450th we’re getting ready to go to Egypt to work on movement control to escort vehicles into the desert to prepare for whatever’s going to happen.
That mindset of serving was key to Runyan, even after receiving his 20-year letter.
“A Colonel at the time, he asked, 'Hey, I kinda want you to take this advanced team to Iraq'," Runyan said. "So I decided to go ahead and do one tour. That was actually a difficult tour, but you get that comradery, these people are like my family.”
One moment that stands out to him happened in Iraq, when the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) was unable to make it over to Talil.
“I guess I got volunteered cause I was a civilian EOD with the Riley County Police Department," Runyan said. "I remember Comstock came up to me and said 'hey uh Sgt. Runyan would you mind clearing the buildings for the Airforce, and they’ll let us have any building that we want.' So I said yeah sure, to get me off this Tarmac and have some third place to spend our night, no problem. I started hitting all these buildings, and one of the first buildings I got to was the military schoolhouse for Talil, which actually had running water. That’s the building I picked.”
Runyan would go on to continue serving in his local community, with over 20 years in security and police work in Riley County, where he still volunteers for events and football games.