Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Montana
Brigadier General Robert A. Sparing is the Assistant Adjutant General - Army, for the State of Montana and also serves as the Commander of the Montana Army National Guard. General Sparing is responsible to the Adjutant General and the Governor of the State of Montana to provide qualified Army National Guard Soldiers ready to deploy in support of national and homeland defense or military support to civilian authorities. Prior to his appointment as the Assistant Adjutant General - Army, he served as the United States Property and Fiscal Officer for Montana, J-4 Director of Logistics, J5/7 Strategic Planner, Brigade Executive Officer, 95th Troop Command and Commander, 1-163rd Infantry Battalion. General Sparing is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom where he deployed to Afghanistan, with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, 7th Special Forces Group as a Liaison Officer.
General Sparing was commissioned in 1984 through the Montana Military Academy Officer Candidate School. Prior to receiving his commission, General Sparing served as an enlisted member with the Montana Army National Guard.
2002 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Master of Science, Aerospace
Management, Daytona Beach, Florida
2005 Senior Service Army War College, Fellowship, University of Texas
2008 Joint Task Commanders Course
2009 Joint Forces Staff College, JPME Phase II, Joint Combined Warfighting
School (JCWS), Norfolk, Virginia
1. May 1975 - July 1983, Private First Class - Staff Sergeant, 3669th
Maintenance Co., Helena, Montana
2. July 1983 - July 1984, Officer Candidate, Montana Military Academy, Helena,
Montana
3. July 1984 - April 1985, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Troop E (-), 2/163d
ACR, Shelby, Montana
4. April 1985 - June 1985, Armor Officer Basic, US Armor School, Fort Knox,
Kentucky
5. June 1985 - July 1986, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Troop E (-), 2/163d ACR,
Shelby, Montana
6. July 1986 - September 1987, Executive Officer, Troop E 2/163d ACR, Havre,
Montana
7. September 1987 - November 1990, Transportation Officer, HQ STARC, Helena,
Montana
8. November 1990 - February 1991, Armor Officer Advance Course, U.S. Armor
School, Fort Knox, Kentucky
9. March 1991 - September 1993, Commander, C Company, 2/163 Cav BN, Missoula,
Montana
10. September 1993 - July 1994, Range Officer, HQ STARC, Helena, Montana
11. July 1994 - December 1994, Command and General Staff College, Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas
12. December 1994 - October 1995, NBC Readiness/Training Officer, HQ STARC,
Helena, Montana
13. October 1995 - December 1997, Battalion Executive Officer, 2/163d Cav BN,
Kalispell, Montana
14. December 1997 - October 1999, State Training Officer, DCSOPS, HQ STARC,
Helena, Montana
15. October 1999 - November 2000, Brigade S-3, 95th Troop Command, HQ STARC,
Helena, Montana
16. November 2000 - January 2004, Commander, 1-163d Infantry Battalion (BFV),
Bozeman, Montana
17. January 2004 - July 2004, Brigade Executive Officer, 95th Troop Command, HQ
STARC, Helena, Montana
18. July 2004 - June 2005, US Army War College Fellowship, University of Texas,
Austin, Texas
19. June 2005 - March 2007, J-5/7 Strategic Planner, Joint Force
Headquarters-Montana, Helena, Montana
20. March 2007 - September 2007, Liaison Officer, Deployed Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF), Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF-A)
Afghanistan, 7th Special Forces Group
21. March 2007 - March 2011, J-4 Director of Logistics and Maintenance, Joint
Force Headquarters-Montana, Helena, Montana
22. March 2011 - March 2015, United States Property and Fiscal Officer for
Montana, Fort Harrison, Montana
23. April 2015 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Fort Harrison,
Montana
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf
Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hourglass, Bronze Hourglass, and M Device
NCO Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 2
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral 2
NATO Medal
Second Lieutenant ARNG 21 July 1984
First Lieutenant ARNG 20 July 1987
Captain ARNG 8 July 1989
Major ARNG 24 August 1994
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 14 January 2000
Colonel ARNG 11 July 2005
Brigadier General ARNG 1 April 15
(Current as of December 2015)