Ryan A . Conklin Ryan Allen Conklin ( born April 1 , 1985 ) is a former Sergeant in the United States Army , known as a cast member on the MTV reality television series , " " , which aired in 2008 , and " The Real World Presents : Return to Duty " , a 2009 documentary that chronicled his second tour of duty serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom . After being honorably discharged in 2010 , Conklin went on to write a memoir chronicling his experiences in Iraq . Early life . Conklin was born on April 1 , 1985 in Marshall , Michigan to Dave and Pat Conklin . He has a brother named Aaron , and a sister named Carrie . When he was 11 , he and his family moved to Gettysburg , Pennsylvania . Conklin was raised in a close family of five . Growing in Gettysburg , the family harbored a strong sense of history , and an affinity for the military , with Conklin , his brother Aaron , their father , Dave , and two cousins participating in Civil War reenactments . In addition to his brother , Aaron , who is a military police officer in the Army Reserves , Conklin also has two cousins in the Army as well . Military and reality television career . First tour of duty . Conklin enlisted in the United States Army at age 17 , having been inspired to do so by the September 11 attacks . He spent a year in Iraq , guarded Saddam Hussein at his trial , and suffered a number of near - death experiences . During his time on " The Real World " , it was also revealed that he suffers from knee problems and posttraumatic stress as a result of his tour of duty . He was honorably discharged in 2006 . " The Real World : Brooklyn " . In 2008 , after returning from his first tour in Iraq , Conklin was cast on the of the MTV reality series , " The Real World " in 2008 . On being selected , Conklin said that it almost started as a joke . MTV was casting at a bar he was visiting , and he decided to apply . He says that he was stunned to learn he made the final cut . His cast biography is as follows : During his time on " The Real World " , Conklin related his experiences in the Iraq War , which he expressed through his guitar playing , and in a 300 - page single - space typed journal . His experiences in Iraq made him highly critical of the war ' s execution , and spurred his hopes for a Barack Obama victory in the 2008 Presidential Election , which he hoped would preclude being recalled to Iraq . As an aspiring filmmaker , and an interest in studying at the University of Pittsburgh . Second tour of duty . In November 2008 , while filming " The Real World " , Conklin found out , much to his shock , that he was being called back to active duty . On April 1 , 2009 , the day he was supposed to report to Fort Bragg , North Carolina before leaving , Conklin surprised his " Real World " castmates by appearing on the reunion show . He returned to Iraq later that month , serving in the southern Saydiyah section of Baghdad as an infantryman , and was eventually promoted to the rank of Sergeant . Before deploying , MTV and the producers of the " Real World " pitched him the idea for a documentary following his returning to Iraq as well as his family members ' reactions . Though initially reluctant , Conklin agreed . The documentary , fully titled " The Real World Presents : Return to Duty " , aired on November 11 , 2009 . Conklin says that he was " very pleased with how it all came together " . In January 2010 Conklin was again honorably discharged from the Army . Later work . Conklin currently travels the country speaking to colleges and universities with Hope ' s Voice organization , speaking about his time in Iraq . Conklin ' s memoir about his experience during his first tour in Iraq , " An Angel From Hell " , was published In April 2010 .