Fort Worth – After four years in the United States Marine Corps and a later stint as a first lieutenant in the Army Reserves Nurses Corps, Ryan Schalles has found a new mission as an assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. In his classroom and as a clinical administrator at the Texas Center for Patient Safety, he teaches nursing students how to care for veterans, drawing on his own combat experience in Afghanistan and his Catholic faith.
From the battlefield to the classroom
Schalles enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2011, serving as a point man on combat patrols that swept for improvised explosive devices. “The weight of life and death fell on my shoulders at 19,” he recalled, adding that he prayed to God that any tragedy would happen to him first. After leaving the Marines in 2015, he later joined the Army Reserves Nurses Corps, serving until 2024.
Following his military service, Schalles earned a nursing degree in 2018 and worked at a Lubbock hospital during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Burned out, he considered leaving the profession until a former professor suggested teaching. The idea resonated, and he soon discovered a calling to educate the next generation of nurses.
Teaching with purpose
At UNT Health, Schalles teaches microbiology and other core courses, often sitting in the front row and encouraging students to excel. “I can see the impact that I’m making in people’s lives,” he said. He also mentors students on how to recognize the unique challenges veterans face when returning to civilian life.
Schalles’ former Marine buddy, Ian Goodrick, noted that the two first connected over their shared veteran status in a nursing class at Texas Tech. Their friendship deepened when they discovered each other again in another course, reinforcing the sense of brotherhood that motivated both men to serve.
Faith as a foundation
Raised Catholic, Schalles says his faith has become the centerpiece of his new identity. After Easter last year, he sent a “God bless” message to a group chat of former Marines, prompting a conversation about returning to Mass. His friend Torrey Tiedeman, a Protestant who had drifted from church, credited Schalles with guiding his own conversion to Catholicism.
“Faith gave me a framework for my life,” Schalles explained. “It changed how I see my family and the concept of service.” He now views service as a concrete act of giving of oneself to others, rather than an abstract notion tied only to military duty.
Addressing veteran mental health
Tragedy has also shaped Schalles’ focus. After three close military friends died by suicide, he began researching “reculturation stress,” the cultural shock veterans experience when re‑entering civilian society. He hopes to distinguish this stress from traditional post‑traumatic stress disorder and develop targeted interventions.
Schalles believes his dual role as a nurse and educator positions him uniquely to influence both clinical practice and academic research, ultimately improving outcomes for veterans across Texas and the nation.
Helping an Afghan family
During his deployment, Schalles formed a bond with an Afghan interpreter named Omar. When Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, Omar reached out for help evacuating his family. Schalles coordinated with a former Marine guard at Kabul Airport and assisted Tiedeman in filing a special immigrant visa application. Omar and his family now reside in the United States, a testament to the lasting impact of personal service.
“I think God put me there to meet him and help his family,” Schalles said.
Looking ahead
As a husband and father of two, Schalles balances family life with his academic responsibilities. He continues to advocate for veteran‑focused health education, hoping that future nurses will be better equipped to support those who have served. His story illustrates how military experience, faith, and a commitment to service can combine to benefit the broader community.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
