| Ryan Allen Conklin | |
|---|---|
Specialist Ryan Allen Conklin |
|
| 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 Batallion |
| 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, which aired in 2008, and The Real World Presents: Return to Duty, a 2009 documentary that chronicled his second tour of duty serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After being honorably discharged in 2010, Conklin went on to write a memoir chronicling his experiences in Iraq.
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Conklin was born on April 1, 1985 in Marshall, Michigan to Dave and Pat Conklin. He has a brother named Aaron, and a sister named Carrie. When he was 11, he and his family moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Conklin was raised in a close family of five. Growing in Gettysburg, the family harbored a strong sense of history, and an affinity for the military, with Conklin, his brother Ryan, their father, Dave, and two cousins participating in Civil War reenactments.[1][2]
In addition to his brother, Aaron, who is a military police officer in the Army Reserves, Conklin also has two cousins in the Army as well.[3]
Conklin enlisted in the United States Army at age 17,[4] having been inspired to do so by the September 11 attacks.[5]
He spent a year in Iraq, guarded Saddam Hussein at his trial, and suffered a number of near-death experiences.[6] During his time on The Real World, it was also revealed that he suffers from knee problems and posttraumatic stress as a result of his tour of duty.[3] He was honorably discharged in 2006.[2]
In 2008, after returning from his first tour in Iraq, Conklin was cast on the 21st season of the MTV reality series, The Real World in 2008. On being selected, Conklin said that it almost started as a joke. MTV was casting at a bar he was visiting, and he decided to apply. He says that he was stunned to learn he made the final cut.[7] His cast biography is as follows:
| “ | A small-town Pennsylvania boy with a laid-back personality, Ryan has had his share of action. After enlisting in the army at the age of 17, he served in Iraq and got an eyeful. Now 23, he has returned from his duty with a newfound appreciation for life and a better perspective on the world around him, despite having lived through many near-death experiences, as well as the death of a close friend. A class clown who juggles his time between amateur filmmaking, guitar playing and pranking those around him, Ryan is currently in his first-ever relationship.[6] | ” |
During his time on The Real World, Conklin related his experiences in the Iraq War, which he expressed through his guitar playing,[6] and in a 300-page single-space typed journal.[4] His experiences in Iraq made him highly critical of the war's execution, and spurred his hopes for a Barack Obama victory in the 2008 Presidential Election, which he hoped would preclude being recalled to Iraq.[3]
As an aspiring filmmaker,[3] and an interest in studying at the University of Pittsburgh.[8]
In November 2008, while filming The Real World, Conklin found out, much to his shock, that he was being called back to active duty. On April 1, 2009, the day he was supposed to report to Fort Bragg, North Carolina before leaving, Conklin surprised his Real World castmates by appearing on the reunion show.[9] He returned to Iraq later that month, serving in the southern Saydiyah section of Baghdad as an infantryman, and was eventually promoted to the rank of Sergeant.[2]
Before deploying, MTV and the producers of the Real World pitched him the idea for a documentary following his returning to Iraq as well as his family members' reactions. Though initially reluctant, Conklin agreed.[7] The documentary, fully titled The Real World Presents: Return to Duty, aired on November 11, 2009.[1][10][11][12] Conklin says that he was "very pleased with how it all came together".[7]
In January 2010 Conklin was again honorably discharged from the Army.[2]
Conklin currently travels the country speaking to colleges and universities with Hope's Voice organization, speaking about his time in Iraq.[2][13][14] Conklin's memoir about his experience during his first tour in Iraq, An Angel From Hell, was published In April 2010.[15]