Ryan Job was a Navy SEAL who served on SEAL Team 3, Charlie/Cadillac Platoon, along with other famous SEALs like Chris Kyle, Marc Lee, Kevin Lacz and Jocko Willink. He was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006, where he was shot in the face by an enemy sniper, blinding him permanently. He survived the injury and went on to live a remarkable life of courage and resilience, until he died unexpectedly in 2009 after a surgery to rebuild his face. What was the cause of his death and how did it happen? This article will explore the details of Ryan Job’s life, injury and death, based on the information available from various sources.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ryan Job was born on March 11, 1981, in Issaquah, Washington. He was a high school athlete who loved to hunt and had a passion for flying. He earned his private pilot’s license around the same time as his driver’s license. His dream was to become a Navy SEAL and then a fighter pilot. He graduated from Issaquah High School in 1999 and attended the University of Washington for three years.
Military Career
Ryan Job enlisted in the Navy on September 6, 2002 and went active duty to begin basic training on December 17, 2002. He completed basic training at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois in February 2003 and then attended Aviation Ordnanceman A school at NATTC Pensacola, Florida from February to April 2003. He then attended Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training at NAB Coronado, California and then Seal Qualification Training (SQT) from May 2003 to November 2004, followed by Basic Airborne training at Fort Benning Georgia in November and December 2004. After then completing Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training in June 2005, Job was assigned to SEAL Team 3.
In April 2006 he deployed to Ramadi, Al Anbar province, Iraq as a member of Task Unit Bruiser. At the time, Ramadi was the most dangerous place in the world. Job completed over 20 combat and shaping operations. On August 2, 2006 Job was providing overwatch security for Iraqi and Coalition forces with Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle when Job was struck in the face by an enemy sniper, blinding him permanently. Kyle carried him halfway down the stairs, but Job insisted on walking himself the rest of the way, putting his arm around Kyle. The injury forced him to medically retire from the Navy on March 31, 2007.
Post Military Life
In March of 2007, Job married Kelly Lester. In July of 2008, Job traveled to Washington to climb Mount Rainier as a member of Camp Patriot’s Summer Team. Two F-15s flew over head as Job reached the summit. With help, Job was able to bag an elk in 2008. Job had just completed his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in September 2009 from Jones International University and was preparing to start an MBA program. Job graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Job’s daughter was born on April 1st, 2010.
Death
Job underwent multiple surgeries to repair the damage to his face. On September 24th, 2009, during recovery from a recent 12 hour surgery at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Ryan Job unexpectedly passed away.
According to Schmidt, Sethi & Akmajian, a law firm that represented Job’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital, it was discovered that Ryan Job was killed by a lethal combination of narcotic painkillers and respiratory-depressive medicines following his surgery. Simply put, his death was caused by medical malpractice.
The hospital had not determined the cause of death at the time of reporting. Veteran Tributes also confirmed that Job died after complications from a surgery to treat his combat wounds.
Awards and Decorations
Ryan Job received several awards and decorations for his service in the Navy, including:
- Bronze Star with Combat Distinction
- Purple Heart
- Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Distinction
- Navy Achievement Medal
- Navy Good Conduct Medal
- Iraqi Campaign Medal
- Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
- Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Conclusion
Ryan Job was a Navy SEAL hero who survived a sniper’s bullet that blinded him in Iraq. He did not let his disability stop him from living a full and inspiring life. He climbed Mount Rainier, hunted elk, earned his college degree and married his love. He died tragically at the age of 28 after a surgery to reconstruct his face. His death was caused by medical negligence that gave him a fatal overdose of painkillers and sedatives. He left behind a wife, a daughter and a legacy of courage and resilience. He is remembered as a warrior, a patriot and a friend.
