Lieutenant Colonel Ryan A. Howry

Lt. Col. Ryan A. Howry is an Army Sub-Saharan Africa Foreign Area Officer (FAO) assigned as the Chief, Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy Abuja, Nigeria

Lt. Col. Howry’s previous FAO assignments include: Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Bujumbura, Burundi and the East Africa Desk Officer assigned to the Department of Defense - Defense Attaché Services in Washington D.C. He also served as the Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Lt. Col. Howry was assigned to the Security Cooperation Division at United States Army Africa and worked as a Desk Officer while conducting In-Region Training. He was afforded the opportunity to travel throughout Africa and gained an appreciation for the FAO mission across the African continent.

Lt. Col. Howry completed three combat deployments to Afghanistan in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) where he gained experience working with both NATO partner nations as well as security forces from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Howry has experience at both the tactical and operational staff experience including serving as the CJ2 for the Command of Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, the Military Assistant/Executive Officer to the NATO ISAF Joint Command CJ2, and as the U.S. Army Europe Headquarters Battalion S2. 

Lt. Col. Howry commissioned in 2004 as an Infantry officer. He served in 1st Battalion-4th Infantry Regiment, Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels, Germany as platoon leader for two motorized infantry companies (one deployed) as well as the Battalion Scout Platoon. He also served as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Executive Officer, Assistant Battalion S3, Administrative and Logistics Officer in Charge (deployed).

Lt. Col. Howry’s education includes a master’s degree in International Security Studies from the Naval Post Graduate School; French language training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA; Command and General Staff College; Swahili language training at the Defense Language Institute in Washington DC; the Captain’s Career Course; Ranger school; Infantry Officer Basic Course; and a bachelor’s degree in German and Geography from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

His military awards include the Bronze Star, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.