Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Michael D. Sproul is the Air National Guard Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He is the principal advisor to the Chief of Chaplains on all matters pertaining to the 600 ANG Chaplain Corps members serving 90 Wings and 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia, in order to achieve maximum operational synergy with active-duty forces. He also advises on all matters relating to the utilization of ANG Chaplain Corps personnel covering the full spectrum of readiness, religious support and spiritual fitness for homeland and global operations. In addition, Chaplain Sproul leads eight ANG senior leader chaplains assigned to six major commands, two combatant commands and two numbered air forces.
His previous position was as the State Chaplain for the Arizona National Guard. In this capacity, he advises The Adjutant General of Arizona, Land Component Commander, and Assistant TAG on all religious, spiritual, moral and ethical matters relating to the AZNG and program and organization relating to the Arizona National Guard Chaplain Corps. He led 20 ANG and ARNG chaplains and 19 Religious Affairs Specialists/Airmen on overarching policies, practices, and programs. He is the prime conduit for the AZNG Chaplain Corps in aligning planning and practices with Office of the National Guard Bureau Joint Chaplain and NGB-Headquarters.
Prior to being the State Chaplain for Arizona, Chaplain Sproul was the Director of the Air National Guard Corps. He advised senior National Guard leadership on all matters that pertain to religious freedom, accommodation, programming and related activities of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps. He monitored the appointments, inspections, assignments and deployments of 600 chapel personnel at 90 wings and 237 geographically separated units while also providing religious support/resiliency to 108,700 Airmen across America. He was the ANG Chaplain representative to the ANG Board, NGB Board, Headquarters Air Force Chaplain Corps, nine major commands, three combatant commands, three numbered air forces, and the Department of Defense-National Science Foundation interagency.
Prior to being Director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, the general was the Senior Pastor of a large multi-ethnic and multi-dimensional congregation. He led, not just a church and educational staff, but also an international team of 241 in 10 countries on five continents with a combined weekly worship attendance in excess of 18,000. He oversaw numerous churches, three colleges and two seminaries as well as numerous building programs. He is currently the Senior Pastor of Littleton Baptist Church, Colorado. He has served as a civilian pastor for 29 years.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Arts, Pastoral Administration/Theology, International Baptist College/Seminary, Chandler, Ariz.
1988 Master of Divinity, Theology/Greek, Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary, Lansdale, Pa.
1991 Basic Chaplain Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1992 Air Force Officer Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Academic Instructor’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
1995 Doctor of Ministry, Counseling/Church Administration, International Baptist College/Seminary, Chandler, Ariz.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Wing Chaplain Course, Fort Jackson, S.C.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Senior Chaplain Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Field Craft Chaplain Course, Joint Base McGuire-Dix, Lakehurst, N.J.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1991–June 1994, Protestant Chaplain, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
2. March 1992–July 1992, Protestant Chaplain, Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
3. July 1994–June 1996, Protestant Chaplain, 36th Air Base Wing, Anderson AFB, Guam
4. August 1996–June 1998, Individual Mobilization Augmentee Reservist, Protestant Chaplain, 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
5. July 1998–September 2000, IMA Reservist, Protestant Chaplain, 56th FW, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. October 2000–October 2002, Category A Reservist, Protestant Chaplain, 944th FW, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. November 2002–November 2013, Wing Chaplain, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Phoenix, Ariz. (October 2011—January 2012 Protestant, Chaplain Section Chief, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid AB, Qatar and Eskan Village, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), (April 2013—October 2013, Wing Chaplain, 376th AEW, Manas, Kyrgyzstan)
8. December 2013–October 2017, Air State Chaplain, Arizona National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Phoenix, Ariz., Air National Guard Assistant to Command Chaplain United States Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein, Germany
9. August 2017–April 2019, State Chaplain, ANG, JFHQ, Phoenix, Ariz.
10. April 2019–May 2021, Director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
11. May 2021–August 2023, State Chaplain, ANG, JFHQ, Phoenix, Ariz. (January 2023–June 2023, Wing Chaplain, 379th AEW, Al Udeid AB, Doha, Qatar)
12. September 2023–present, ANG Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Overseas Ribbon Long
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border with silver and oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Longevity Service with silver oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two “M” devices with gold hourglass
Air and Space Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1993 9th Reconnaissance Wing Company Grade Officer of the Quarter
1995 Published article, “Cinderella and Sleepless in Seattle: An Example of Modern Day Marriages” - Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary Journal
2005 Published author, “God’s Word Preserved” - College Theology Textbook
2017 Published article, “Mentoring in the Local Church” - Frontline Magazine
2019 Published article, “Using Small Groups in the Military to Promote Community” - Frontline Magazine
2020 Published article, “History of Separation of Church and State” - Frontline Magazine
2020 Published article, “Balthasar Hubmaier - An Early Anabaptist proponent of Separation of Church and State” - Frontline Magazine
(Current as of October 2023)