RADM Bennett S. Sparks
Shipmates,
We were saddened last week with news of the passing of RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks. Bud was a friend and mentor whose impact on the Active and Reserve Components of the Coast Guard was immense. Beginning with service in World War II, Bud rose from Seaman to Rear Admiral and distinguished himself on active duty and as a Reservist. The Reserve Officer's Association presents two awards annually named after Bud. The description for each from the ROA website are provided below.
RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks Unit Award
Selected by: Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard
Criteria: Awarded annually to the Coast Guard unit judged to be the most supportive of a totally integrated coast guard force, demonstrated by its effective use of Coast Guard Reservists. Presentation is made at ROA's National Convention.
RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks Coast Guard Reserve Outstanding Junior Officer Award
Selected by: Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard
Criteria: Must be a drilling Coast Guard Reserve Junior Officer (O-3 or below) or warrant officer and is selected in accordance with criteria contained in Coast Guard directives. ROA provides and presents the award annually at the Mid-Winter Conference.
I am asking that our Active and Reserve colleagues post any personal comments and memories they have about Bud Sparks on this post.
RADM Sparks' obituary: /RADM_SPARKS_OBITUARY.pdf
ADM A
We were saddened last week with news of the passing of RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks. Bud was a friend and mentor whose impact on the Active and Reserve Components of the Coast Guard was immense. Beginning with service in World War II, Bud rose from Seaman to Rear Admiral and distinguished himself on active duty and as a Reservist. The Reserve Officer's Association presents two awards annually named after Bud. The description for each from the ROA website are provided below.
RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks Unit Award
Selected by: Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard
Criteria: Awarded annually to the Coast Guard unit judged to be the most supportive of a totally integrated coast guard force, demonstrated by its effective use of Coast Guard Reservists. Presentation is made at ROA's National Convention.
RADM Bennett S. "Bud" Sparks Coast Guard Reserve Outstanding Junior Officer Award
Selected by: Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard
Criteria: Must be a drilling Coast Guard Reserve Junior Officer (O-3 or below) or warrant officer and is selected in accordance with criteria contained in Coast Guard directives. ROA provides and presents the award annually at the Mid-Winter Conference.
I am asking that our Active and Reserve colleagues post any personal comments and memories they have about Bud Sparks on this post.
RADM Sparks' obituary: /RADM_SPARKS_OBITUARY.pdf
ADM A
Posted at
3:55 PM
5 Comments:
I met RADM Bud Sparks in 2007 during a ROA convention in San Francisco. He spoke at length about Betty, their children, and his Coast Guard Reserve. He impressed me as a kind and loving man; a man of integrity and purpose. He will be greatly missed.
CDR Mari Lloyd, USCGR
Kodiak, AK
RADM Sparks was a phenomenal officer, patriot, and dutiful servant to this nation. As the Director of the Reserves for the Coast Guard, I have truly come to know him and appreciate all he has done for our service. A few months ago, I had a chance to visit with him at his home in Windsor, CA where he shared many of his experiences, opinions, and thoughts about the Coast Guard Reserve Program, along with a good many sea stories! What a fascinating experience for me to have this conversation with him. He was truly a remarkable person with a great sense of humor who served his country as well as many other organizations with great distinction. His significant contributions to the Coast Guard Reserve Program and the entire Coast Guard will continue to be felt for many years to come. He will be sadly missed by all those who knew him.
RDML D.R. May, USCG
I am sadden to hear the news. I will miss RADM Sparks. I came to know the Admiral when I was stationed at Petaluma in th 90's, especially when I was CO. He epitomized the Coast Guard values, he worked hard for the Reserve program. He especially loved his work with the California Veteran's Board and supporting his Windsor community. He was a true mentor. Most of all he really loved Betty and his family. We have lost one of our special Guardians, but I will remmeber him fondly! BZ, Shipmate!
RADM Sparks was indeed someone that I would refer to as the "Coastie's Coastie." During my tenure as MCPOCG, I got to know RADM Sparks through his involvement with our leadership program, where he often provided resources of information that helped our LAMS and CPO Academy instructors challenge the students in understanding the true meaning of situational leadership. I quickly got under his wing and became a recipient of his valued mentoring. We conversed via email over the years discussing all kinds of topic areas both in and out of Coast Guard. He's been a good friend, confidant and wonderful shipmate to me and a superior role model to our Coast Guard - fostering the "One Coast Guard" team concept.
Vince Patton
MCPOCG, USCG RET
Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
Posted on behalf of RADM Riker:
"Within the large circle of Bud Sparks admirers, many knew him far longer and better than I did. They were very fortunate. But when reflecting upon this man who it was a privilege to know, at least three thoughts come to my mind.
First, Bud Sparks was always informed. Always. I never heard Bud Sparks utter an opinion that he couldn't back up with facts, common sense, and - frequently - personal experience.
Second, Bud Sparks always got his point across with a minimum of fuss and confusion. When he finished speaking no one was ever in doubt as to where he stood on an issue, and why.
Third, Bud Sparks always demonstrated the utmost good faith. Everyone knew that he was fundamentally with the team. He could always be counted on to be in the boat and pulling his oar strongly even though the course might not be the one he preferred.
I had the opportunity to speak by telephone with Bud shortly before he passed away. I asked how he came to be in the Coast Guard. He said he was a senior in high school when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Within a few days or weeks after that he went to the recruiting corridor in the Pittsburgh Federal Building. He intended to enlist in the Navy. But his overbite turned out to be 1/32" too much. He was still miffed about that. He remained convinced that the fellow with the device measuring such things didn't really know how the contraption worked. Regardless, out he went.
The Army recruiter was next door to the Navy. He tried there. But the Army offices were jammed that day, and Bud was toward the end of the line. A soldier told him to leave and come back another day. Out he went again.
The Coast Guard was next door to the Army - our good fortune. Bud enlisted in a delayed entry program. He entered boot camp in New York when he graduated high school in the spring of '42.
After boot camp he remained in New York assigned to Port Security duties. He was pulling 12 hour on/12 hour off watches. Somewhere in this schedule, he married. But one day he took a wee bit more liberty than authorized. Actually he allowed to me that, perhaps, it might have happened on more than one occasion. So he was called into his CO's office.
The CO observed that this just wasn't working out. He said that with the name Sparks, Bud would be a natural for RM school. Of course. But it wasn't until Bud was shifted to Aviation RM School that Bud Sparks and the Coast Guard clicked. It was the combination of sea and air that made it all work together for him.
Bud was reflective in our telephone conversation. He said he believed he had lived an honest life and had tried to do the best he could. Everyone who knew him would fully attest to both matters.
Bud was also grateful for his many friendships. He especially appreciated another giant within the Reserve community: RADM Bob Merrilees.
Our conversation then turned to current events for a brief while. As I said above, Bud Sparks was always informed. Always. And then it was time to ring off.
I read in his obituary that Bud Sparks also had been a Chief Petty Officer. This is true testimony to his versatility, vision, and constancy of commitment to the Coast Guard. Bud Sparks was a great flag officer; I am certain he was an equally great Chief. Remarkable."
TY.
/r/
J.T. Riker
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