Colonel John D. Ryan is the Deputy Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The wing’s mission is to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen. As part of Air Education and Training Command, and home to 27 squadrons with F-35A Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, the 56th is the largest fighter wing in the U.S. Air Force with over $11 billion in aircraft and 7,000 total force personnel. The wing graduates more than 200 F-35A pilots, 30 F-16 pilots, and 270 air control professionals annually. The 56th Fighter Wing also supports the F-15C Formal Training Unit based at Klamath Falls, Ore., which produces over 20 graduates annually. Additionally, the 56th Fighter Wing manages the Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field and is steward of the Barry M. Goldwater Range, a military training range spanning more than one million acres of the Sonoran Desert.
Col Ryan is a native of Wheaton, IL. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and received his commission as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force ROTC program. Following his commission, he attended pilot training at Columbus AFB, MS and remained there as First Assignment Instructor Pilot. Col Ryan then transitioned to the F-16 and served multiple assignments / deployments in that capacity. He commanded the 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy. Col Ryan also served as the Deputy Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Prior to his current position, he was the Chief of Staff of the 56th Fighter Wing.
Col Ryan is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours in the F-35A, F-16C/D, T-6A, T-37B and T-38C. He has flown operationally in support of Operations NEW DAWN, NOBLE EAGLE, and ATLAS GUARDIAN.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelors of Science, Accounting, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Ill.
2004 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2005 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2016 F-16 Basic Course, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
2011 Masters of Business Administration, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.
2016 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2022 Air War College via correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2003 – May 2004, Active Duty at Detachment Lieutenant, AFROTC Detachment 190, University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill.
2. May 2004 – June 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. June 2005 – August 2005, Awaiting Training, 41 FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. August 2005 – November 2005, Student, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
5. November 2005 – July 2009, T-37/T-6 Instructor Pilot, Executive Officer, Assistant Flight Commander, 41 FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
6. July 2009 – July 2010, Student, F-16 Basic Course, 62nd FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. July 2010 – December 2012, F-16CJ Flight Lead, Flight Commander, Aircrew Flight Equipment Officer, Special Assistant to the Commander, 79 FS, Shaw AFB, S.C.
8. December 2012 – June 2015, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, and Wing Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 310 FS and 56 Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz
9. June 2015 – June 2016, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
10. June 2016 – June 2018, Executive Officer to the NORAD Director of Operations and Deputy Chief, Current Operations Training Branch, NORAD Headquarters, Peterson AFB, Color.
11. June 2018 – June 2020, Director of Operations, Chief of Wing Plans and Programs, Asst Director of Operations, 510th Fighter Squadron and 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy
12. June 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
13. July 2022 – July 2023, Deputy Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
14. July 2023 – June 2025, Chief of Staff and F-16 Instructor Pilot, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
15. June 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 – June 2018, Executive Officer to the NORAD Director of Operations and Deputy Chief, Current Operations Training Branch, NORAD Headquarters, Peterson AFB, Color., as a major
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,100 (including more than 120 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-6A, T-38C, F-16C/D, and F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
AF Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
AF Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force ROTC, Det 190, University of Illinois
2004 Francis E. Dubisher Award Winner, Top T-37 Student Graduate
2007 Distinguished Graduate, T-6 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2007 CGO of the Year, 14th Operations Group, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2011 20th Fighter Wing Air-to-Ground Top Gun of the Year, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2012 20th Fighter Wing Flight Commander of the Year, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2013 CGO of the Year, 310th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2016 Distinguished Graduate (Equivalent), Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2016 FGO of the Year, NORAD J3 Directorate, Peterson AFB, Color.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 19, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major Nov. 1, 2013
Lt Colonel June 1, 2018
Colonel Sept. 27, 2024
(Current as of June 2025)