Army Green Beret Sergeant First Class
Ryan J. Savard
February 27, 1983 ~ October 13, 2012
Operation Enduruing Freedom
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
29, of Jefferson, NH; killed in action by sniper fire in Konduz Province, Afghanistan.
Operation Enduruing Freedom
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
29, of Jefferson, NH; killed in action by sniper fire in Konduz Province, Afghanistan.
Ryan was born in Salt Lake City, UT but grew up in Jefferson, NH, where he attended eighth grade at the Lancaster School and three years in at the White Mountains Regional High School in Whitefield. WMRHS teacher Kate Richardson, who graduated in 2001 from the school, remembers her classmate well from their Lancaster School years. "Ryan was very funny; he could always make you laugh," she recalled. "He was a good athlete; I remember how annoyed he was the time his high school team jersey had his name misspelled 'Savaro,' instead of 'Savard,' I suppose because of his own poor handwriting.” Ryan spent his senior year at Buena High School in Sierra Vista, Ariz., graduating in 2001.
Retired Navy chief Bruce Hicks of Jefferson said that Ryan had been a very good friend of his stepson, Jared Morin. "Ryan spent a lot of time at our house. He was a great young man with a great smile that just warmed you up. Ryan was high-spirited, but always considerate, respectful and polite, and we loved having him here. He went to church every Sunday. I think he knew he wanted to be in the Army, like his dad, from the time he was in 8th grade — he was always leaning in that direction. "When he was back in the area, he came by two or three times with his wife, Kayla, who is very nice," Hicks said. "Ryan was very professional, and he clearly trained very hard. He was proud of what he was doing, and he loved the Army."
He first entered the U.S. Army as a Helicopter Repairer on Aug. 29, 2001 and after completion of Initial Entry Training he was assigned to Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation in Gieblstadt, Germany where he served for two years as a UH-60 Repairman. While assigned to the 159th Aviation, Ryan deployed once to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In June 2004, Ryan attended and graduated from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School to become a Special Forces weapons sergeant. Upon graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course, Ryan was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a Special Forces Company Assistant Operations Sergeant and a Special Forces weapons sergeant. In 2008, Ryan was assigned to Operations Detachment Group Support Battalion, 3rd SFG (A) where he served as a Senior Special Forces weapons sergeant. While assigned to 3rd SFG (A), Ryan deployed three times to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.
Ryan was assigned in May 2010 as a Special Operations Team Member, U.S. Army Special Operations Command. For over two years he performed this duty, deploying twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Ryan completed numerous military courses while serving in the U.S. Army to include the Warrior Leader Course, Basic Airborne Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape High Risk Survival Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Advanced Leader Course, Special Operations Weapons Sergeant Course, Special Operations Language Training-French, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, ULLS-A Course, Ranger Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Exploitation Course, Advanced Land Navigation Course, Free Fall Parachutist Course, Senior Leader Course, and the Static Line Jumpmaster Course.
Ryan’s awards and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, Purple Heart, three Army Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, three U.S. Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Ribbon, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, four Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service medal, three Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, U.S. Army Service Ribbon, three U.S. Army Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal with Bronze Service Star, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Aviation Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Parachutist Badge, and five Overseas Service Bars. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Award), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Ryan is survived by his wife Kayla Savard, his parents Marie and Garett Savard and 7 siblings, Jed, Rachel, Rebekah, Virginia, Karen, Garett R. & Mariah, and his extended family.
Retired Navy chief Bruce Hicks of Jefferson said that Ryan had been a very good friend of his stepson, Jared Morin. "Ryan spent a lot of time at our house. He was a great young man with a great smile that just warmed you up. Ryan was high-spirited, but always considerate, respectful and polite, and we loved having him here. He went to church every Sunday. I think he knew he wanted to be in the Army, like his dad, from the time he was in 8th grade — he was always leaning in that direction. "When he was back in the area, he came by two or three times with his wife, Kayla, who is very nice," Hicks said. "Ryan was very professional, and he clearly trained very hard. He was proud of what he was doing, and he loved the Army."
He first entered the U.S. Army as a Helicopter Repairer on Aug. 29, 2001 and after completion of Initial Entry Training he was assigned to Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation in Gieblstadt, Germany where he served for two years as a UH-60 Repairman. While assigned to the 159th Aviation, Ryan deployed once to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In June 2004, Ryan attended and graduated from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School to become a Special Forces weapons sergeant. Upon graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course, Ryan was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a Special Forces Company Assistant Operations Sergeant and a Special Forces weapons sergeant. In 2008, Ryan was assigned to Operations Detachment Group Support Battalion, 3rd SFG (A) where he served as a Senior Special Forces weapons sergeant. While assigned to 3rd SFG (A), Ryan deployed three times to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.
Ryan was assigned in May 2010 as a Special Operations Team Member, U.S. Army Special Operations Command. For over two years he performed this duty, deploying twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Ryan completed numerous military courses while serving in the U.S. Army to include the Warrior Leader Course, Basic Airborne Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape High Risk Survival Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Advanced Leader Course, Special Operations Weapons Sergeant Course, Special Operations Language Training-French, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, ULLS-A Course, Ranger Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Exploitation Course, Advanced Land Navigation Course, Free Fall Parachutist Course, Senior Leader Course, and the Static Line Jumpmaster Course.
Ryan’s awards and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, Purple Heart, three Army Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, three U.S. Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Ribbon, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, four Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service medal, three Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, U.S. Army Service Ribbon, three U.S. Army Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal with Bronze Service Star, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Aviation Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Parachutist Badge, and five Overseas Service Bars. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Award), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Ryan is survived by his wife Kayla Savard, his parents Marie and Garett Savard and 7 siblings, Jed, Rachel, Rebekah, Virginia, Karen, Garett R. & Mariah, and his extended family.