Lieutenant General Tryon enlisted in the Navy in 1970 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1975 upon graduating from the Naval Academy.
Following The Basic School, he held various assignments in 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General I MAF/1st Marine Division, and completed a tour as the Headquarters Company Commander, 4th Marines in Okinawa in 1980.
After a tour at Recruiting Station New York, he attended Amphibious Warfare School in 1983. He then joined 2d Battalion, 5th Marines where he served as company commander and operations officer. He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1987, concurrently earning a Masters Degree in Management from Webster University.
In 1988, he transferred to the Special Operations Command, Europe. He deployed in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM serving with the Joint Special Operations Task Force, JTF Proven Force. Following Desert Storm, he deployed with Joint Special Operations Task Force PROVIDE COMFORT operating in Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey.
In 1991, he reported to the Special Operations Training Group, II MEF as director of the Special Missions Branch. From 1993 to 1995, he commanded 2d Battalion, 8th Marines. He was then assigned to the Pentagon as Deputy Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until 1997. He attended The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and received a Master of Arts Degree in International Public Policy in 1998.
Lieutenant General Tryon served as Commanding Officer, 24th MEU (SOC) from 1998 to 2000 and as Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, Washington D.C. from 2000 until 2002. From 2002 until 2004, he served as Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe/Commander, U.S. European Command.
In 2004, he was assigned as Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region and as Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Quantico, Virginia in June 2006.
In June 2008, he assumed command of 2d Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC. One month later he further assumed the duties as Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Upon deployment to Iraq in January 2009, he was designated as the Commanding General, Multinational Force-West. In January 2010, he returned to Camp Lejeune relinquishing command of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in February 2010 and 2d Marine Division in July 2010. Lieutenant General Tryon assumed duties as Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations in October 2010.
Lieutenant General Tryon’s personal decorations include: Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; the Legion of Merit with gold star; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star; the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.