Our Founder

Stephen (Steve) Ryan, founder of Military Money Strategy had a penchant for making money even as young child growing up in Waterbury and Watertown Connecticut. He had several side hustles (although we didn’t call them that in the late 80’s and early 90’s) such as shoveling snow during winter and cutting grass during summer to make some pocket change - which eventually allowed him to purchase his very first set of tools so he could start installing car stereos! Making the most out of all opportunities that came before him, Steve worked at McDonald's, bussed tables at a Chinese restaurant, cut meat at a grocery store, and even landed himself an internship working in a car stereo shop at the age of 15!

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Immediately following high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy in 1996 as an Aviation Electronic Technician (ATO). He attended Great Lakes for basic training and underwent ‘A’ School at Pensacola, FL. His first duty station was at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL at VS-30 (Diamondcutters), an S-3B Viking squadron. Following his tour there, he crossed the country and landed in San Diego as a work center supervisor and Leading Petty Officer at Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) in North Island. While there, Steve attained his bachelor’s degree and was subsequently selected to attend Officer Candidate School back in Pensacola.

 

After commissioning as a Supply Officer, Steve reported to Athens Georgia for Supply Corps school. While there, he qualified for submarine duty and was detailed to USS HAMPTON (SSN-767) as the ship’s Supply Officer. Following a successful Department Head tour, he was selected to a Joint Military Logistics internship at The Joint Staff in Washington D.C. where he worked in Strategy, Operational Contract Support, and was a watch stander in the National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center. Following D.C., Steve went to Kabul, Afghanistan for a year as a military-to-military advisor for training and also worked on Foreign Military Sales programs. After returning stateside, Steve went to SEAL Team THREE as the Team’s Logistics Officer and made a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq as the Special Operations Task Force-Iraq’s J4. He finished his last three years as a strategic planner at Global Logistics Support and United States THIRD FLEET and has earned his Joint and Maritime Operational Planner designation.

 

Steve obtained his bachelor’s degree in Educational development from Southern Illinois University. In 2018, he completed his Master of Business Administration in Finance from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. While working on his MBA, Steve studied financial markets, investments, economics, and banking in-depth and was one of two candidates to graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade. He also attended the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College and studied government affairs at Georgetown University.

 

After serving in the Navy for 23-years, Steve retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Commander and now lives a peaceful & happy life by San Diego's sunny shores with his wife, two kids and furry family members. Not one to be idle though - he manages Military Money Strategy as well as an adventurous apparel line called Fetch The Sun that’s designed especially for humans and their four-legged friends! In addition, you can find him out at sea giving back to veterans through adaptive surfing lessons that help mend physical and mental wounds.