Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Ryan has been awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of his services to disaster management and the Royal Montserrat Defence Force.
The medal was presented by Governor Sarah Tucker at an intimate reception hosted by herself and her husband Howard Tucker on 28 November.
Ryan’s recognition follows his inclusion in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List earlier this year.
The British Empire Medal is granted by the monarch of the United Kingdom in recognition of meritorious civil or military service.
Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ‘BEM’ and have special privileges, including access to St Paul’s Cathedral for weddings, baptisms, and funerals.
Before presenting the award, Governor Tucker delivered a speech praising Ryan’s leadership and dedication throughout his career.
She highlighted his contributions during critical moments in Montserrat’s history, such as the search and rescue efforts following Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and his service during the volcanic eruptions of the 1990s.
Tucker noted that he was the first officer of the force to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and highlighted his role at the coronation of King Charles III in London.
“Leadership is about integrity, resilience, courage and humility. It’s about creating a vision: an idea that other people buy in to and that engenders support and loyalty,” the governor said.
“In the relatively short time I have known and worked with Alvin, he has demonstrated many of the key strengths of leadership, he breathes commitment and reliability and we are very lucky to have him.”
In his acceptance speech, Ryan thanked the governor and her team for organising the event and expressed gratitude for the honour.
Reflecting on his career, he recounted two pivotal moments.
The first was his role as an adult cadet during the volcanic crisis, working with the defence force to safeguard the community.
And the second was his leadership role at the king’s coronation, where he represented the defence force and Montserrat.
“On my journey thus far, I have not been walking alone,” Ryan said.
“I would like to recognise the support of my family and extended family, friends, my presently serving troops, past members of the RMDF and Cadet Corps and the community at large.”
He added: “The British Empire Medal is awarded for meritorious services and having received this award, it gives me joy and a sense of pride knowing that I was able to accomplish that.”
