ADAs Complete Military Tour of Duty As Officers in Middle East

Aug. 21, 2020 – Shelby County Asst. Dist. Attys. Kevin McAlpin and Ryan Thompson have completed their 11-month overseas tours of duty in the Middle East as members of the Tennessee Army National Guard stationed in Kuwait.

Lt. Col. McAlpin and Capt. Thompson deployed in October 2019, and this week received their end-of-tour awards as they handed over their responsibilities to their replacements.

Both are Judge Advocate General (JAG) Officers for an Engineer Brigade with mission projects in eight countries throughout the Middle East. They received Meritorious Service Medal Citations, while Thompson also received an Army Commendation Medal with C Device for an assignment in Iraq and Syria to assist with an investigation.

“Ryan and Kevin truly exemplify what it means to be faithful public servants,” said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich. “We are grateful for their service and are anxious to welcome them home.”

As JAG Officers, McAlpin and Thompson were the attorneys for the brigade which involved military justice, assisting with investigations, fiscal/contract reviews, and serving as legal advisors for commanders within the brigade.

They will quarantine in Texas or New Mexico before they are processed for their return to civilian life and the courtrooms of Shelby County.

“We are both looking forward to being home,” said McAlpin. “We appreciate how supportive General Weirich and the entire office has been with us having to be gone. It is certainly comforting to know our employer supports our decision to be in the military even when that means we have to be away for a period of time.”

Thompson is looking forward to seeing his new son, Carsen Edward Thompson, who his wife Jessica gave birth to on Dec. 29, 2019, while he was overseas.

“I will get to meet him for the first time when I get home,” he said.

McAlpin is assigned to the District Attorney’s Special Prosecution Unit in Criminal Court Division 7 where prosecutors seek maximum sentencing for repeat violent felony offenders. He joined the District Attorney’s Office in January of 2017.

Thompson is assigned to the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit which handles cases involving intimate partners in General Sessions Division 10 and in Criminal Court Division 5. He joined the DA’s Office in August of 2014.