Photo By Kirk Frady | U.S. Army Capt. Tyler Sprunger, an Army Medical Service Corps officer and son of...... read more read more
SEMBACH, Germany – U.S. Army Capt. Tyler Sprunger, an Army Medical Service Corps officer and son of retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Sprunger, former command sergeant major for U.S. Army Medical Command, is carving his own distinguished path in the Army. He is building upon a legacy of service while forging his own identity. Sprunger is currently assigned to Medical Readiness Command, Europe Headquarters where he is a health facility planner.
Born Feb. 20, 1993, at Gorgas Army Hospital in Panama City, Panama, Sprunger spent his early childhood as an "Army brat," living in Panama, North Carolina, and Michigan.
"My Army Brat experience is not what I would call standard,” said Sprunger. “My parents divorced when I was young, so I spent most of my time with my mother growing up. While I credit my mother for being the person I am today, my dad will say the same thing and has done so in public forums."
Despite the physical distance from his father growing up, Sprunger always knew he wanted to work in healthcare. "Healthcare was always my passion, in whatever capacity that meant. Even though my father was a very successful noncommissioned officer in Army Medicine, it had no influence on my decision to join the Medical Service Corps," added Sprunger.
After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan State University, and commissioning through the ROTC program, Sprunger chose the Army over the Navy or Air Force. "To be honest, there was no chance of me ever joining the Navy,” added Sprunger. “The thought of being stuck at sea on a ship for months at a time, or in a submarine, is not my idea of a good time.”
While his mother favored him joining the Air Force and being in the air versus on the ground fighting in combat, Sprunger found himself more drawn to the Army.
In 2012, between his freshman and sophomore years in college, Sprunger attended The U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
“Unfortunately, my father was not able to attend my graduation from jump school, so he arranged for a fellow command sergeant major to pin on my wings. It was a moment that we are all proud of,” said Sprunger.
As Sprunger progressed in his military career, he initially resisted seeking his father's advice, wanting to establish himself independently. "I wanted to 'pave my own path' and 'rise in the ranks on my own merits'," added Sprunger.
However, Sprunger later realized the value and wisdom of his father's military experience.
"Now that I have a few years in the Army under my belt, I would have made few changes to my mindset,” Sprunger said. “First, just simply asking questions of my father would have gone a long way to understanding the Army and the situations I found myself in.”
A turning point came when Sprunger served as an aide-de-camp to retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Talley. It just so happened that Sprunger’s father had also worked with Talley in a previous assignment.
“As fate would have it, my dad and I ended up being stationed near each other in Maryland, so we ended up rooming together,” added Sprunger. "During that time, we were able to reestablish that father/son connection that had been missing for many years. We would sort of debrief each other at the end of the day and talk about what was going on at work. We were able to give each other advice and support. And that is something I will always cherish."
When asked what special advice or guidance his father gave him growing up, Sprunger said, "My dad told me to get up every day and be excellent, but in more colorful words that I cannot repeat.”
While Sprunger's journey is unique and reflects a commitment to military service and a desire for personal and professional growth, it also renewed a deep sense of appreciation for his family. And that is something Sprunger will be forever grateful for.
| Date Taken: | 09.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2025 10:03 |
| Story ID: | 549267 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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