COL Ryan T. Kranc was born and raised near Seattle, Washington and was commissioned as an Engineer Officer upon graduation from Gonzaga University in 2000. His engineer company grade assignments include combat engineer platoon leader and company executive officer, 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3d ACR, Fort Carson, CO.
On 14 Feb 2003 COL Kranc branch transferred to the Armor Branch. His company grade armor and cavalry assignments include tank platoon leader and Scout platoon leader in 2/3 ACR, Fort Carson, CO and Al Anbar Province, Iraq (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM I); Assistant Regimental Operations Officer, 3d ACR; Troop Commander, Quickstrike Troop, Fort Carson, CO and Ninewa Province, Iraq (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM III); Reconnaissance Tactics Instructor, 16th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Knox, KY; Troop Commander, Lightning Troop, 16th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Knox, KY; and Aide de Camp, Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After graduation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas he served in a variety of command and staff positions including Squadron Operations Officer and Regimental Operations Officer, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, CA; Chief of Cavalry Doctrine, Fort Benning, GA; Aide de Camp to the Director, Army Capabilities Integration Center, US Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Eustis, VA; Strategic Advisor for Northern Affairs at the United States Consulate General in Erbil, Iraq; Commander, 4th Squadron, 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO, EUCOM, and CENTCOM (Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE and Operation SPARTAN SHIELD); and Chief of Emergent Requirements, J35, The Joint Staff, The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
His most recent assignment was as Commander of the 316th Cavalry Brigade, Fort Moore, GA. His awards and decorations include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (1 OLC), Army Valorous Unit award (1 OLC), Army Superior Unit Award, Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC), Army Meritorious Service Medal (7 OLC), Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, the Combat Action Badge, and Army Parachutist Badge, among others. COL Kranc earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Gonzaga University in 2000, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 2011 and Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Research Strategy in 2022. His military education includes the Engineer Officer Basic Course, the Armor Captain’s Career Course, Instructor/Trainer Course, Cavalry Leader Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and The Eisenhower School. COL Kranc is married and has two children.