FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash.— For Darren Sprunk, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, the call to serve came early, as a conviction in the eighth grade. For his son, U.S. Air Force Capt. Blake Sprunk, that same desire to serve was a seed planted in childhood, one of globetrotting and witnessing his father’s dedication.
Now, in a rare alignment of fate, their two paths have converged at Fairchild, creating a juxtaposition of distant memories and active service between a father and a son.
A few years after retiring from the Air Force, Darren accepted a job at Fairchild AFB and is now the 92nd Air Refueling Wing operations program manager.
Darren’s military journey began with a feeling that his family needed to contribute to the nation’s defense.
“I can’t really explain it other than a calling,” said Darren.
His decision to join the Air Force was met with resistance from his family, who belonged to a generation that came of age after the Vietnam War when military service was not highly regarded. But Sprunk was driven by a sense of duty.
“I felt like we hadn't done much as a family for generations,” he said.
That conviction guided him through high school and toward an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, but a football injury medically disqualified him. Undeterred, he enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Montana State University.
He commissioned there, launching a nearly 28-year career that saw him master multiple airframes, including the C-141 Starlifter and later, the KC-135 Stratotanker.
While he built a career, Darren intentionally shielded his son from pressure to follow suit.
“I deliberately did not talk too much about the Air Force around [Blake],” Darren said. “It has to be a personal decision, because you can be paying with your life.”
That space allowed Blake to find his own way. Growing up, he saw the world, but also the sacrifices.
“We had the opportunity to live in amazing places, which gave me unique experiences I’ll always value,” said Blake. “At the same time, there was the constant reality of uprooting our lives. Those experiences gave me a deep appreciation for the sacrifices military families make.”
The calling Darren had avoided pushing on his son eventually took root organically. Late in high school, Blake made his choice. He found himself at the same ROTC detachment at Montana State University that his father had attended, where Darren’s picture on the wall stood as a quiet testament to the path of military service.
Now, as an aircraft commander with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron piloting the KC-135 Stratotanker, Blake faces similar pressures his father once did. For Darren, watching his son navigate the complexities of mission planning and leadership is a surreal experience.
“You know what the progression is, but there's not many people who know what that means,” Darren said. “You don't know the stress that comes with being a brand-new copilot, or a new aircraft commander… Blake knows I get it, because he knows I've lived it. He doesn't have to translate it.”
That shared understanding has been a cornerstone of their time together at Fairchild, an assignment Blake considers the highlight of his career so far.
“It’s definitely a unique experience, but it has been incredibly rewarding,” Blake said. “My friends all know [my dad], so the jokes are constant, but having the chance to spend time together and occasionally grab lunch on base has been a true blessing.”
Darren flew the C-141 in support of operations in Bosnia and was promoted to lieutenant colonel over the skies of Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Today, Blake flies the same KC-135 model his father once did, supporting a new era of global operations at an ever-increasing tempo. The 92nd Air Refueling Wing’s mission to provide rapid global mobility remains constant, ensuring warfighters get what they need, wherever they are.
The weight of service is not lost on Blake. When asked how he feels about his father’s original sentiment on their family’s legacy, he reflects on the future. The two generations of service have answered Darren’s initial calling, but for Blake, who hopes to start his own family, it brings a new set of questions.
“The most challenging aspect is the operational tempo, as tanker crews remain in increasingly higher demand,” Blake said. “As I look to start a family with my wife, I’m reminded of what it was like to be a child in a military family, and I have yet to be able to find an answer for how I will be able to both be a present father and someone who serves his country.”
From a conviction in the eighth grade to a photo on a university wall, the Sprunk legacy is one of shared skies and a mutual understanding of sacrifice. It’s a powerful reflection of the resilience of military children and an enduring testament that the call to serve can create a bond that spans generations.