LTC Obie Spratling

My Story

Mr. Obie A. M. Spratling, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, United States Army; currently serving as a Program Manager with Innova Systems International, directing day to day operations for the National Guard Defense Readiness Reporting System – Strategic (DRRS-S) contract team. Mr. Spratling has a combined 28 years of active duty and Army National Guard experience in Emergency Management, Operations, and Strategic Planning. He also excelled in the private sector holding positions in Marketing Management, Bank Management, Merchandising and Sales positions with the likes of McDonald’s Corporation, The Kroger Company, Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide (Jack Daniels), Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo Bank, and Nextel.

While Mr. Spratling is a native of Jacksonville, Florida; he currently resides in Clinton, Maryland. Mr. Spratling received his United States Army commission at the University of Kentucky (UK) in1984. He served as the Peace Keeping Operations of the Americas (PKO-A) exercise planner and Deputy Branch Chief Joint Training US Southern Command from 2010 to 2012. He also served as Chief, National Guard Bureau (NGB) Crisis Operations Branch; Deputy Branch Chief, Operations Officer, Team Chief, and Deputy Team Chief with that same branch supporting the NGB Joint Operations Center (JOC) starting February 2007. Prior to being assigned to the NGB Joint Staff and NGB J3 Directorates, Mr. Spratling deployed to Afghanistan in January 2006, where he served as an Embedded Training Team (ETT) Advisor with the 53rd BCT, Integrations Officer Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A), and the Aide De Camp and Executive Officer for the Commander, (CSTC-A). Mr. Spratling entered the Army Guard and Reserve (AGR) Program and served in various staff officer positions in the NGB G3, Army Operations (ARO) Division 2001 to 2005. Those positions were Active Duty for Operations Support (ADOS) Program Manager, Army National Guard Continuity of Operations (COOP) Program Manager, and Emergency Response Officer. Mr. Spratling is a former Field Artillery Officer and has served in command and staff positions within the California Army National Guard’s 40th Division Artillery, 1/143rd Field Artillery Battalion, and the Kentucky National Guard’s 1/623rd (8inch) Field Artillery Battalion from 1985 to 2001. Those positions included Battalion S-3, Brigade Fire Support Officer, Battery Commander, Battalion Fire Support Officer, Company Fire Support Officer, Battery Executive Officer, Battery Fire Direction Officer, Aviation Brigade Fire Support officer, and Attack Aviation Battalion Fire Support officer.

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Mr. Spratling’s Civilian and Military Education Includes: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the University of Kentucky, Master of Business Administration (MBA) from National University, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Capella University, Attendance in Residence at the Joint and Combined War fighting School (JCWS), Command and General Staff College-Intermediate Level Education (ILE), Command and General Staff College-Combined Arms Service and Staff School (CAS3), Joint Fire Power Control Course, Field Artillery Officer Advance Course, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, and the Jr. Officers Pre Command Course.

Mr. Spratling’s Organization affiliations, awards and decorations include the following: Organizations: Life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, Member NGB Alumni Association, and Life member Veteran of Foreign Wars. Awards and decorations include the following: The legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (w/ Oak Leaf Cluster); Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal (w/ Oak Leaf Cluster); Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal (w/Oak Leaf Cluster; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ M device, NATO Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Army Superior Unit Award (w/Oak Leaf Cluster); Army Staff Identification Badge. Mr. Spratling is also an Honorable Order of Saint Barbara award recipient from the US Army Field Artillery Association.