Ryan Gloyer

April 8th, 1982 – Nov 3rd, 2016

Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Allen Gloyer, born, April 8, 1982, was killed in action, Nov. 3, 2016, in Kunduz Province. He deployed to Afghanistan in June, 2016 where he advised and assisted Afghan units on seven Afghan-led, 13 enabled, and five partnered operations. Gloyer graduated from Thiel College in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Education degree and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology, while serving as a student teacher for an elementary school. Upon graduation, Gloyer enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, completing Basic Combat Training, Advanced Individual Training, and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. From 2005 to 2013, Gloyer was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 325th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division where he served as a squad leader and section leader. He completed two combat tours to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Gloyer then served as an instructor for the 82nd Airborne Pre-Ranger Course. Gloyer successfully completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in September 2014. After graduation, he was assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a Special Forces communications sergeant. He deployed with the detachment to Chad, Africa. Gloyer’s military education includes: Senior Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Basic Leaders Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, Static Line Jumpmaster Course, Urban Mobility Breaching, Military Freefall School, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.