Commander Sparks is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. Following graduation from High School in 1992, he enlisted in the Navy as a submarine nuclear trained machinist’s mate, serving onboard USS CINCINATTI (SSN-693) and USS LOUISIANA GOLD (SSBN-743). He was Honorably discharged from the Navy as a First Class Petty Officer in October 2000.
Following discharge from naval service, Commander Sparks earned Bachelor of Science from Portland State University in Portland Oregon and a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis Indiana. He was commissioned via direct accession as a Dental Corps Officer in February 2011 and attended Officer Development School in April 2011.
Commander Sparks attended a 1-year General Practice Residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Virginia and thereafter received orders to USS SAN ANTONIO (LPD-17) homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, as Health Services Department Head, where he earned the Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer designation in 2013.
In September 2014 he reported to Naval Branch Health Clinic Subbase Bangor in Poulsbo, Washington where he served as the dental clinic’s Division Officer. Following his tour in Washington, he reported to 1st Dental Battalion, 13th Dental Company, MCAS Miramar where he earned the Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer designation in 2019.
He then reported to the Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, MD, in June 2019 for advanced training in Prosthodontics, earning a postgraduate Master of Science in Oral Biology and a Certificate in Prosthodontics. He then reported to 1st Dental Battalion Camp Pendleton, California where he served as the Bravo Company Commander.
After successfully slating for Navy Executive Medicine, he reported to 3d Dental Battalion Okinawa, Japan where he currently serves as Executive Officer.