CAPTAIN (RET) JAMES RYMAN SHOAF
United States Navy

Ryman Shoaf is a native of Mocksville, N.C. and a 1985 graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. He entered Naval Service upon graduation and after basic flight training he joined the fleet flying the S-3 Viking. He proceeded to accumulate 3,500 flight hours in 13 different squadrons and 1,007 traps (landings) on 11 different aircraft carriers. He deployed eight times with six of those deployments being to the Persian Gulf and two years with Forward Deployed Naval Forces in Atsugi, Japan. The squadrons and ships he served in were awarded the Battle “E” for Battle Efficiency, Golden Wench Award for Maintenance Excellence, Yellow “E” for Battle Efficiency, Isabell Trophy for Anti-Submarine Warfare Excellence, Conventional Weapons Award, Tactical Excellence Award, Safety “S” Excellence Award, and Manning Retention Honor Roll. He commanded two squadrons, Sea Control Weapons School and the VS-30 Diamondcutters, both at NAS Jacksonville, FL.

His last tour was as the senior officer in charge of the Navy Department for the National War College in Washington D. C. where he taught National Security Strategy and Policy. He has a Master in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Studies and National Security Affairs from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a diploma in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, D. C. His tour ended in 2012 with retirement after 27 years of service. During his career, Ryman received the Navy Marine Corps Leadership Award, the Admiral James L. Holloway III Leadership Award for Senior Officers and the Defense Superior Service Medal.

As a veteran, Ryman was concerned that less than 20 per cent of the members of Congress have any military experience. He decided to try and change that by one member and ran in Florida’s Congressional 4th District. He ran on a platform of Respect for the Constitution, Limited Government, Respect for Life, and Personal Responsibility. He challenged a well-connected, well-funded entrenched career politician. Being out spent 16-to-1 and campaigning for just eight months, Ryman lost in the primary but spoke at every opportunity of his belief that it is called the U. S. House of Representatives and not the U. S. House of the Well Connected. Ryman has experience as an operations officer at an aircraft parts warehouse, as a recruiter for the steel industry and as the National Spokesman for the We Can Be Heroes Foundation. He is currently teaching Ancient World History at the St. Johns Classical Academy, in Fleming Island. He has been married for 30 years to his wife Susan and has two children, Erin, a 1st grade teacher at St. Johns Classical Academy, and Nathan, a Captain in the Marine Corps.