Navy hero returning home to Whitefish

Commander Ryan Zinke retires from SEALS

By RICHARD HANNERS - Whitefish Pilot

A Whitefish native whose military career reads like a Hollywood adventure movie will be heading home soon.

Commander Ryan Zinke retired from the Navy SEALS Oct. 12 after 753 parachute jumps, 1,373 combat dives, 360 combat patrols, 1,415 hours of advanced surveillance and firing tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, rockets, mortars and explosive devices.

During all that time, Zinke apprehended one person indicted for war crimes, captured 4,700 pounds of explosives and precursors, received two master's degrees, and was responsible for the killing or capturing of 72 members of Al-Quaeda.

All of that has had its toll. Zinke's medical record is 141 pages long, and he's attended 23 funerals of special operations personnel — including four who were killed while serving with him.

"The tragic loss of these men will always serve to remind me of the sacrifice made in the defense of freedom," he said in his retirement speech. "In each case, they came from small towns, not unlike my hometown of Whitefish, Montana, and I will always share in the burden of pain and loss with those families and communities."

Although Zinke's retirement ceremony took place Oct. 12, his final day with the Navy is Feb. 1. He will go on "terminal leave" on Nov. 1 because "it takes time to go through the administrative and medical process," he said. He will speak at the Moose Lodge in Whitefish on Nov. 7.

A third-generation Mon-tanan, Zinke was raised in Whitefish. At Whitefish High School, he was a 4.0 academic student, class president, multiple sport All-State stand-out and Hall of Fame inductee.

At the University of Oregon, where he received his bachelor's in geophysics, he was a four-year letterman playing against offensive lineman 50-100 pounds heavier than himself. He received numerous academic and athletic awards, including All Pac-10 honors and the coveted Emerald Athletic Cup Award.

Oil exploration work, however, didn't suit Zinke. He joined the Navy after learning about the SEALS program, graduating from SEALS training in 1985.

"We started with 139 and graduated with 28," he said in his retirement speech. "To those instructors who had a hand in shaping my definition of pain, I thank you and have to say that I still hurt from those 800-straight eight-count body builders."

Zinke was assigned to SEALS Team 1 in Coronado, Calif., where he led multiple counter-insurgency operations in the Persian Gulf and the Pacific theater. Jumping from helicopters and planes, and riding inflatable boats in heavy seas — often at night — appealed to Zinke, who moved up the ranks with the elite force.

During the 1990s, he served as Tactical Ground Force Commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also led the first exercise between former Soviet Special Forces and U.S. Naval Special Warfare forces.

From 2001 to 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Zinke was responsible for 360 combat patrols, 48 direct-action missions, and hundreds of "sensitive-site exploitation and personal-contact operations." He was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for combat action.

Zinke is credited as being the principle architect behind developing the SEALS advanced-training school. His last tour in the Navy was serving at the SEALS headquarters in charge of developing technology-based weapons and surveillance systems.

In addition to his Bronze Stars, he was awarded two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Commendation Medal and numerous other personnel decorations and campaign ribbons.

He also has an MBA in finance and a master's of science in global leadership from the University of San Diego

Zinke told the Pilot he had a good career with the Navy and felt "pretty lucky."

"But it's time now to go," he said. "I prefer the front line and not working at a desk. I can't wear body armor and a helmet anymore — my body's broke from too many long days, too many jumps, too many boats and helicopters."

He said the SEALS was a "young man's" organization.

"I always liked to be the front man, leading the charge, but that's a liability now," he said. "I could stay in the Navy and be a desk man, but that's not what I wanted to do when I joined."

Zinke said his last official day with the Navy is Feb. 1. He said his future plans include serving the Whitefish community in some capacity.

"I'd like to find some kind of noble cause," he said.

Calling himself a "Teddy Roosevelt Republican," Zinke said he's interested in running for political office, but he hadn't filed yet.

"I think Whitefish needs some leadership, some direction," he said. "I can't sit on the sidelines any longer."

As a military man, Zinke said he feels he shouldn't be left or right, Republican or Democrat.

"I should be a Montanan," he said. "I feel little old Whitefish needs some help."

Other than politicking, Zinke has a lot to look forward to once he returns to Whitefish. He and his wife Lola have two boys, Konrad and Wolf, who will attend Whitefish Middle School and enjoy sports.

Zinke says he loves skiing, mountain biking and fishing. Although he hasn't hunted in a long time, he said he'd like to get back into it. He also hopes to improve his golf game. And with more than 1,000 free-fall jumps under his belt, he's also interested in continuing skydiving.

And he will soon be a grandfather — Zinke's 24-year-old daughter, who is currently serving as a Navy diving medical technician, is pregnant.

After 22 years with the SEALS, including eight years and four months of deployment, the "Navy family" has "often taken priority over my family at home," Zinke said in his retirement speech.

That wasn't intentional, he said, but "if there is a lesson to be learned, it is that our leadership must do everything possible to ensure the family at home is not only viewed as important, it is viewed as critical."