Brig. Gen. Phil Ryan is a 1992 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He holds master’s degrees in management from Webster University and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Brig. Gen. Ryan served in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and with the Second Infantry Division, Camp Page and Camp Red Cloud, Republic of Korea; this included his first command, HHC, 1/2 Aviation.
He served in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) as a Task Force S1, AH-6 Platoon Leader, Operations Officer, AH-6 Company Commander, and Battalion XO in TF 1-160. He commanded 2nd Battalion, 160th SOAR, Task Force 1-160, and the 160th SOAR, all at Fort Campbell.
Brig. Gen. Ryan also served at the Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Virginia as the Chief of the Special Management Division and as the Executive Officer to the Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He served in the Pentagon as the Deputy Director for Army Aviation in the Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7 and as the Executive Officer to the Secretary of the Army.
Brig. Gen. Ryan commanded United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command where he concurrently served at the Deputy Commanding General (Futures), United States Army Special Operations Command. Prior to assuming command of U.S. Army South, he was deployed for a one-year command of the Combined Special Operations Joint Task Force – Levant (CSOJTF-L) in Jordan.
Brig. Gen. Ryan assumed U.S. Army South command on 28 June 2024.