Kentucky National Guard officer promoted to colonel

FRANKFORT, Ky. — U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Sharp was promoted to the rank of colonel during a ceremony on April 24, recognizing more than 25 years of military service and leadership within the Kentucky Army National Guard. Currently assigned to Joint Force Headquarters as the Kentucky Army National Guard's director of logistics–more commonly known as the G4–Sharp oversees logistics operations across the organization, ensuring units are equipped, sustained and prepared for both domestic response missions and federal deployments.

During the ceremony, Sharp expressed his gratitude as he reflected on this milestone in his career.

“This promotion is an incredibly humbling experience for me, and I am deeply grateful to the senior leaders who have placed their trust in my ability to serve at this level,” Sharp said.

Sharp's military journey began in 2000. Over the years, he has served across five major commands, noting that his experience as a company-grade officer helped shape his leadership philosophy.

“By observing other officers and truly listening to my Soldiers, I learned that leadership requires genuine care, initiative and fairness,” he said.

He also credited his professional growth to who he served with throughout his career.

“Throughout my 25 years, I realized the immense value of truly listening to my Soldiers and learning from the incredible NCOs who go above and beyond every single day,” he said.

His career has spanned routine unit operations, overseas combat deployments and natural disaster response. Those combined experiences reinforced his belief that effective leadership is rooted in presence and action.

As he assumes his new rank, Sharp said his priorities remain focused on Soldiers.

“My top priorities are caring for my Soldiers and facilitating their continued development,” he said. “I am committed to remaining fair and consistent, avoiding favoritism, and ensuring credit is always given where it is earned.”

Sharp also emphasized the National Guard's role in supporting communities across Kentucky. He pointed to a 2017 deployment during Hurricane Harvey, when he was selected to lead a team of Kentucky logisticians to Texas in support of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) distribution missions.

“That experience reinforced my commitment to leveraging our military's organizational skills, logistics and readiness to support civilian aid efforts right here at home in Kentucky whenever our communities need us,” he said. Discussing the National Guard's dual state and federal mission, Sharp emphasized the importance of readiness.

“Whether we are called upon by the governor to respond to a natural disaster in Kentucky or by the president for a federal deployment, the requirement is the same: trained, equipped and resilient Soldiers,” he said.

For younger Kentuckians considering military service and junior Soldiers seeking leadership opportunities, Sharp offered simple advice.

“Leadership is not about personal recognition,” he said. “To junior Soldiers, my advice is to learn from everyone around you.”

As state director of logistics, Sharp said he remains focused on ensuring Kentucky Army National Guard units are ready to respond to emergencies at home and support missions worldwide.