186 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY RYAN LUURTSEMA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Ocean County College Veteran and Military Resource Center Galloway, NJ Ryan Luurtsema launched his career after joining the Fort Dix Youth Challenge Military Academy, which satisfied his desire to have a sense of structure and discipline in the formative years of his life. In 2006, he received a state diploma with skill sets in leadership, public speaking and structural professional development. Following his graduation from the academy, he enlisted in the United States military as an ammunition specialist for the United States Army and, subsequently, became a supervisor in Iraq and Kuwait in 2011. Retaining these roles for two years, he once again traveled, this time to Germany, where he was a human resources technician between 2013 and 2016. Departing from the military in 2016 after serving for eight years, Mr. Luurtsema is especially proud to have traveled across the globe, thereby gaining an intimate understanding of various cultures that exist in other countries. In accounting for his military success, he has earned a myriad of military honors and decorations, including two Army Good Conduct Medals and Outstanding Volunteering Service Medals from the United States Department of the Army. He also thrice received the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. In light of his service in the Middle East, he received two service ribbons, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and three Overseas Service ribbons. After leaving the military, Mr. Luurtsema found it difficult to transition to a civilian lifestyle – a personal struggle that is not uncommon for many military veterans. Leveraging this experience, he decided to enroll in Stockton University, from which he received a bachelor’s degree in hospitality, tourism and management in 2019. Following this accomplishment, he served as a veteran coordinator at Ocean County College between 2019 and 2021. Currently, Mr. Luurtsema is an assistant director of the Ocean County College Veteran and Military Resource Center, through which he works with community organizations to help fellow veterans assimilate back into civilian
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