Iowa State has named a new commander of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Lt. Col. Ryan Hollman has been named to the position as commander of the AFROTC, Detachment 250. He succeeds Lt. Col. Michael Novy at the position. Novy retired after 20 years as commander of the ISU AFROTC.

Hollman, who is a 1993 graduate of Iowa State with a degree in computer science, started his career in the Air Force as a communications computer officer during his first five years of service. He then completed pilot training in 2000 and B-1 bomber training in 2001.

Before coming to Iowa State, he was stationed in Tucson, Ariz., where he served as a squadron commander and had 30 servicemen under him.

He is listed as a senior pilot by the Air Force, with 1,900 flight hours and 444 combat flight hours.

Hollman’s position as commander at Iowa State makes him responsible for over 120 Air Force cadets. He also deals with recruiting and training cadets on campus.

Hollman is also responsible for determining the scholarships of 57 Iowa State AFROTC cadets so that cadets can be recommended to the national Air Force office for scholarship funds.

“Expectations is to continue to produce high quality office for the Air Force. We’re not looking for quantity necessarily, we’re looking for quality. We want only the best to go into the Air Force and be officers,” Hollman said.

To Hollman, returning to Iowa State was something he said had always been in the back of his mind. Hollman said he thoroughly enjoys the campus, and it is really interesting to see how technology has changed on campus since he attended Iowa State.

For College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Beate Schmittmann, having a former Iowa State student in the role is a wonderful thing, she said.

“It’s great to have a LAS graduate back here on campus in such an important role,” Schmittman said. “The ROTC programs really add to the flavor of this campus and to some of the ethics and leadership skills that we want to build in our students.”

“He’s got 20 years of experience in the Air Force, he is an LAS grad, been an aviator and a season leader,” Schmittman said. “He’s the right person to educate these students to build the foundation of their leadership skills.”

Every year, the Air Force conducts a national process for all the universities with an Air Force ROTC program and asks volunteers to apply for the position for the ROTC commanders. Anyone interested puts together an application package and selects their top 5 choices of schools.

The ROTC Headquarters has a central selection board and the individuals are offered a position based on their rank-order from the selection board until all positions are filled.

The Air Force selects the best and brightest applicants from the applicant pool and proposes an individual to Iowa State. Schmittmann receives the proposal from the Air Force for review and approval.

“So far in my experience here of being in this job of a year and half, these are always outstanding individuals,” Schmittmann said. “I felt very very comfortable approving this selection.”