General Joseph Ryan

From Five Questions for a General by Modern War Institute at West Point

March 19, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

Cadet Zach Olson interviews General Joseph Ryan about his Army career and the strategic role of the US Army Western Hemisphere Command.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war. In this episode, Cadet Zach Olson sits down with General Joseph Ryan to explore his thirty-five-year Army career, highlighting how early influences, strong mentorship, and a relentless team spirit guided his path in service to the nation. Now commanding the newly established US Army Western Hemisphere Command, General Ryan explains his organization's role as a theater army responsible for providing trained and ready forces across North and South America. He highlights the strategic importance of the region, citing evolving threats such as transnational criminal organizations, great power competition—particularly with China—and the need for deeper partnerships across Latin America. General Ryan explains that the creation of the command represents a broader Army…

People in this episode

Host: Zach Olson

Guest: General Joseph Ryan

Topics covered

leadership
military career
mentorship
regional security
transnational threats

Keywords

Army
Western Hemisphere Command
China
Latin America
transnational criminal organizations

Mentioned in this episode

Places: North and, South America, China, Latin America