Ryan Conklin
| Ryan Allen Conklin | |
|---|---|
Specialist Ryan Allen Conklin (2006)
|
|
| Born |
April 1, 1985 Marshall, Michigan |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 2003–2010 |
| Rank |
 Sergeant
|
| Unit |
101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment North Carolina National Guard, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 252nd Combined Arms Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards |
Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal (2) Good Conduct Medal (2) |
Ryan Allen Conklin (born April 1, 1985) is a former Sergeant in the United States Army, known as a cast member on the MTV reality television series, The Real World: Brooklyn, and star of The Real World Presents: Return to Duty, a 2009 documentary that chronicled his second tour of duty serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and author of the Iraq War memoir, An Angel From Hell
Conklin was born on April 1, 1985 in Marshall, Michigan to Dave and Pat Conklin. He was the youngest of three children. The son of a Marshall teacher, Ryan attended the public elementary schools of Gordon, Sherman, and Madison. In 1996, he and his family moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Growing up in Gettysburg, a historic landmark for the nation, Ryan harbored a strong sense of history, and an affinity for the military, and eventually graduated from Gettysburg High School in 2003.
In addition to his brother, Aaron, who became a military police officer in the Army Reserves, Conklin also had two cousins in the Army as well.
Conklin enlisted in the United States Army at age 17, having been inspired to do so by the September 11 attacks. He entered Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2003 and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Ryan was an infantryman in the 187th Infantry Regiment (United States), 3rd Brigade of the famed 101st Airborne Division. In 2005, he deployed with the division to Iraq, guarded Saddam Hussein at his trial in Baghdad, but his company spent most of their year deployment patrolling Tikrit and experienced a number of near-death experiences from IEDs, drive-by shootings, VBIEDs, suicide bomber, and a sniper. During his time on The Real World, it was also revealed that he suffered attacks of posttraumatic stress as a result of his tour of duty. He was honorably discharged in 2006.
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