Family roots in the Maryland militia spurred the newest National Guard Educational Foundation staffer’s interest in the National Guard.
Ryan Trainor, 28, started today as the National Guard Memorial Museum’s archivist and museum specialist. He will focus on creating and researching exhibits, developing the archives, giving tours of the museum and implementing a collection development policy for the library.
Though he is a new staff member, Trainor is a familiar face in the NGAUS building. He has been the museum’s library intern since August 2013.
Trainor is from Hampstead, Md., and was inspired to apply to the internship after a discovery he made two years ago while researching his lineage for Sons of the American Revolution membership. He found out that his 5th great-grandfather was a lieutenant in the militia from Frederick County, Md.
“I was really interested that there was a library and archives and museum that was dedicated to sharing the heritage and traditions of the National Guard,” he says. “It personally resonated with me.”
Trainor starts at NGEF on the heels of another milestone. He graduated Friday from the University of Maryland with a master’s degree in library science. He completed his undergraduate studies at Loyola University where he received a bachelor’s degree in history.
Asked what excites him most about joining NGEF, Trainor doesn’t hesitate.
The history buff says he wants to keep telling the Guard story, “bring my family’s personal story to life and be able to bring that same passion to others who visit the museum.”
