His Story
A native of Texas and New Mexico, Ryan Staggs recently retired from the United States Army
after serving as a Trumpet Player for 26 years. He culminated his Army career as the First
Sergeant and senior enlisted advisor at the U.S. Army School of Music in Virginia Beach,
Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Music and Psychology from Austin
College in Sherman, Texas. He currently works as a Training Requirements Analyst for the U.S.
Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Mr. Staggs’ past military assignments include: Senior Teams Leader and Chief of Logistics and
Resource Management, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command Band, Fort Eustis,
Virginia; Director of Training and Operations, United States Army School of Music; Platoon
Sergeant / Chief of Training, Maneuver Center of Excellence Band, Fort Moore, Georgia; Music
Performance Team Leader and Chief of Resource Management and Training, United States
Army Europe Band and Chorus, Heidelberg, Germany; Section Leader and Chief of Training,
Operations, and Public Affairs, 62 nd Army Band, Fort Bliss, Texas; and Squad Leader and Chief of
Security, 2 nd Infantry Division Band, Uijongbu, South Korea. Prior to enlisting into the Army, he
taught children’s bell choir at First United Methodist Church, Sherman, Texas.
Mr. Staggs is married to Jennifer Staggs who recently completed a 27-year Army career as a
flautist and vocalist. They have two daughters in high school who play flute and percussion. Mr.
Staggs continues to perform music in the Hampton Roads community as trumpeter with the
Higher Ground Jazz Band, Sounds of Swing, and the Williamsburg United Methodist Church
Orchestra. He performs with his church choir and handbell choir.