Mick Ryan (general)

Major General Michael Barry Ryan, AM is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army and a military strategist. Ryan served as Commander of the Australian Defence College 2018 to 2022, became a Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowy Institute in 2024,^[1] and is a Adjunct Fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.^[2] He is a commentator on contemporary military affairs, including the Russo-Ukrainian War, Asia/Pacific military strategy, and military matters in the Middle East.

Mick Ryan
At a Lowy Institute discussion in 2023
Allegiance	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1987–2022
Rank	Major General
Commands	Australian Defence College (2018–22) 1st Brigade (2014–16) 1st Reconstruction Task Force (2006–07) 1st Combat Engineer Regiment (2006–07)[not verified in body]
Battles / wars	United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor Iraq War War in Afghanistan[not verified in body]
Awards	Member of the Order of Australia Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Joint Service Commendation Medal (United States)

Military career

Ryan graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1989 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Engineers. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2008 Australia Day Honours.^[3] Ryan retired from the Australian Army as a major general in 2022, having served as Commander of the Australian Defence College from 2018.^[4]

Books and publications

Ryan is the author of several books, as well as significant reports and reviews during his military career.^[5]

Nonfiction

• The Ryan Review (2016). A strategic review reform document used in Australian Army education and training.^[4]
• Thinking About Strategic Thinking (2021). Report on developing strategic thinking in military institutions.
• War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict. February 2022, Naval Institute Press.
• The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire. August 2024, Naval Institute Press.

Fiction

• White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan (2023), Casemate.