Kenneth R. Sparks
Owens Cross Roads,AL
Summary
Mr. Sparks is a Master Aviator with over 34 years of experience in Attack and Assault aviation operations and training. He has extensive experience in aircrew training program management, synthetic environments, high-fidelity flight systems, mission planning systems, and mission rehearsal systems. Specific experience includes developmental testing, aviation new equipment testing, training program management, operations and support management, flight instruction, and combat flight operations. Other specific experience includes the integration of high-fidelity flight training, mission planning systems, rehearsal systems into future, and existing aviation training programs. Program management experience includes aviation human resource management, aviation training standardization management, training development and management, aviation mission planning systems management, and full-spectrum tactical combat operations. Direct involvement with UH-1H, UH/HH-60 A/L/M/V, TBOS, LSMP, ABHFS, UH-1 SFTS, AMPS/Falcon View, and US Army Flight School 21 (FS XXI) programs. Additional experience as a UH-60A/L/M standardization instructor pilot (SP), rotary-wing instrument flight examiner (IE), and aviation mission survivability/personnel recovery officer (AMSO/PR) integrating support of existing and future joint precision fires among all Department of Defense (DoD), NATO, and host nation assets.
Overview
39
39
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Aviation Mission Planning System (AMPS) FSR
Science Applications International Corporation
Huntsville, AL
11.2012 - 04.2022
- Provides expertise as an AMPS Subject Matter Expert (SME) to Program Managers.
- Assistant Training Development Team Lead responsible for managing and developing training for all US Army aircraft (manned/unmanned) related to AMPS, which culminated in delivery and acceptance of training doctrine products to the US Army Training Development Capability (TDC) repository.
- Provided FSR support and delivered technical briefings to primary DoD and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers through training and performing system updates, upgrades, maintenance, and sustainment of AMPS hardware and software.
- Responsibilities also included duties as the team H-60 Series helicopter Subject Matter Expert, assisting internal software developers in the task of writing Aviation Mission Planning System (AMPS) software.
Company Field Service Manager, UH/HH-60M NETT
Pinnacle Solutions, Incorporated
Huntsville, AL
09.2008 - 09.2012
- Company Field Services Manager of a five person Instructor Pilot team in direct support of US Army Program Management Office-Utility (PMO-Utility) and Science and Engineering Services, Inc (SES-I) in the execution of UH/HH-60M helicopter new equipment training (NETT) to the US Army and various foreign military sales (FMS) customers.
- Responsibilities included customer training and evaluation utilizing the H-60M aircraft and Tactical Blackhawk Operations Simulator (T-BOS) in the actual and synthetic flight environments of the proposed combat airspace, Aviation Mission Planning System (AMPS), National Airspace System (NAS), Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), Visual Flight Rules (VFR), Night Vision Goggles (NVG), Improved Heads Up Display (IHUD), Synthetic Automated Forces (SAF) engagements, and tactical combat aviation mission employment and execution.
Director of Business Development
Virtual Heroes, Inc
Cary, NC
08.2006 - 07.2007
- Government Training and Simulation
- Responsible for managing and growing the synthetic simulation and mission rehearsal customer relationships throughout state and governmental agencies with North Carolina.
- Assisted in negotiating a $10 million investment from a large systems integrator and partner company.
- Established company affiliation with the Defense and Security Technology Accelerator (DSTA), Chamber of Commerce, Fayetteville, North Carolina.
- Successfully negotiated direct funding projects for service to the 7th Special Forces Group, US Army, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Business Development Representative
Net Direct Systems, Incorporated
Apex, NC
05.2005 - 07.2006
- Responsible for managing and growing the tactical communications business relationships throughout the Department of Defense (DoD).
- Successfully assisted in the negotiation of an infrastructure verification and validation (IV&V) project for Network Enterprise Center, Director of Information Management (NEC DOIM), Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, totaling $1 million, within four months of initial hire.
- Successfully assisted in the $3 million acquisition of tactical operations servers and support to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)(SOAR), Ft, Campbell, Kentucky.
Aviation Human Resources Manager
XVIII Airborne Corps, US Army
Ft. Bragg, NC
08.2003 - 11.2004
- Responsible for managing the XVIII Airborne Corps Commander’s aviation human resource assets, totaling over 1,500 aviation personnel.
- Successfully integrated the Total Officer Management Information System (TOPMIS) software suite across many disparaging computer systems from Headquarters, US Army Personnel Command (PERSCOM) down to the aviation battalion / squadron organization level. This value-added capability allowed lower echelon commanders to see and manage, in real time, the aviation officers incoming or outgoing of their formations before Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders were issued.
Instructor
US Army
07.1981 - 08.2003
- CW4 (Retired), UH-60 A/L Series helicopter Standardization Instructor Pilot, Instrument Flight Examiner, and Tactical Operations Officer.
- Company flight lead and primary planner for attack and assault operations in support of joint National Command Authority directed missions.
- Responsible for maintaining the Commander’s aviation training program and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for attack and assault operations.
- Conducted Aviation Resource Management Survey (ARMS) evaluations and support visits to US Army helicopter units in a variety of CONUS, OCONUS, and forward-deployed locations.
- Managed a safety and training program of 35 aircraft and 150± rated aviator and aircrew members assigned to many CONUS, OCONUS, and forward-deployed locations.
- Experience includes combat operations deployments during Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and various host nation counter-drug operations in the Caribbean.
Education
MBA - Project Management
Webster University
St Louis, MO03.2024
Master of Arts - Computer Resources and Information Management
Webster University
St. Louis, MO03.2001
Bachelor of Science - Professional Aeronautics
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, FL11.1996
Skills
Worldwide Deployable
Project Management Professional (PMP) April 2022
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Simplified Acquisition Procedures
Master Aviator (US Army)
Master Parachutist (US Army)
Army Battle Command Systems (ABCS)
Joint Firepower Control Course (JFCC-US Air Force)
Aircraft Survivability Equipment/Electronic Warfare Officer (ASE/EWO-US Army)
Aviation Mission Planning System (AMPS)
Rotary-Wing Instrument Flight Examiner (US Army)
H-60 Series Instructor Pilot (US Army)
Certification
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification expected April 2022
Timeline
Aviation Mission Planning System (AMPS) FSR
Science Applications International Corporation
11.2012 - 04.2022
Company Field Service Manager, UH/HH-60M NETT
Pinnacle Solutions, Incorporated
09.2008 - 09.2012
Director of Business Development
Virtual Heroes, Inc
08.2006 - 07.2007
Business Development Representative
Net Direct Systems, Incorporated
05.2005 - 07.2006
Aviation Human Resources Manager
XVIII Airborne Corps, US Army
08.2003 - 11.2004
Instructor
US Army
07.1981 - 08.2003
MBA - Project Management
Webster University
Master of Arts - Computer Resources and Information Management
Webster University
Bachelor of Science - Professional Aeronautics
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University