CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Delaware Army National Guard’s general surgeon Lt. Col. Gayle Ryan is at the heart of Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East, or KFOR RC-E, medical operations, overseeing medical readiness initiatives and emergency care for more than 1,500 troops deployed throughout the region.
As the medical director at KFOR RC-E, Ryan ensures that Soldiers stay healthy and medics are fully trained for any emergency, from routine care to mass casualty events.
“Our number one mission is keeping our Soldiers safe and ready,” she said.
Back home, Ryan is chief of general surgery at the Lebanon VA Medical Center in Pennsylvania, where she’s served for 17 years.
“I do all kinds of general surgery—abdominal procedures, colon and breast cancer surgeries, hernias, gallbladders, skin lesions—whatever the troops or veterans need,” she explained.
A Boston University Medical School graduate, Ryan began her Army medical career in 1997 at Walter Reed and completed her surgical residency in 2003. With more than 25 years of experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the mission in Kosovo.
Though Camp Bondsteel lacks full surgical facilities, Ryan trains Soldiers and medics in essential lifesaving procedures, including airway management, IV insertion, ventilator use, dental trauma, suicide assessments, abdominal pain evaluation and patient evacuation. She emphasizes hands-on training through daily sick call, emergency drills and mass casualty, or MASCAL, simulations.
A MASCAL is defined as any incident with more than three to four casualties. In such events, the Camp Bondsteel emergency room serves as a hub for rapid triage, treatment and evacuation.
“We have incredible aviation medics and paramedics on standby around the clock,” Ryan said. “Their ability to execute rapid evacuation is a critical asset.”
From bedside to airborne medevac, teams can be en route to higher-level care within 15 minutes.
Beyond the base, Ryan plays a key role in NATO’s multinational medical collaboration. She helps lead a working group of about 33 partner nations—including Germany, Italy, Türkiye, Croatia and others—that meets biweekly to coordinate medical readiness.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is building bridges with our German medical partners here at Camp Bondsteel,” Ryan said. “We’ve integrated them into our clinic operations, and it’s made us all stronger.”
Ryan also supports C Medical Company, 199th Brigade Support Battalion, and the Louisiana Army National Guard team by overseeing field medical training for both medics and non-medical personnel.
“We’re not only training medics—we’re expanding that knowledge to non-medical Soldiers so they can perform buddy care in the field until our teams arrive,” she said.
Her early career in military medicine began during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she treated wounded Soldiers within 24 hours of their injuries. That same dedication now drives her work in Kosovo, where she continues to provide high-quality care to U.S. and allied forces.
While deployed, Ryan’s colleagues at the Lebanon VA have stepped in to cover her duties.
“I’m incredibly thankful to my VA team for stepping up while I’m away,” she said. “They’ve made it possible for me to serve here with confidence, knowing our veterans back home are still in great hands.”
Looking ahead, Ryan plans to join the Delaware Army National Guard’s aviation team after completing flight surgeon school.
“Being here has been the honor of a lifetime,” she said. “To be part of an international leadership team, helping take care of these incredible Soldiers, is something I’ll carry with me forever.”
As NATO’s mission in Kosovo continues, Ryan stands as a model of surgical skill, collaboration and military readiness—proving that expert care and leadership are essential components of peacekeeping.