1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁purs ue ▁his ▁studies ▁for ▁the ▁priest hood . ▁He ▁initially ▁studied ▁under ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Fri ars ▁Minor ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Name ▁Province , ▁but ▁was ▁later ▁rec ru ited ▁for ▁the ▁Arch di oc ese ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁by ▁Arch bishop ▁William ▁Donald ▁B orders . ▁ ▁In ▁total , ▁he ▁has ▁served ▁in ▁Korea , ▁Bos nia , ▁Egypt , ▁Pent agon ▁( d uring ▁ 9 / 1 1 ) ▁and ▁Germany ▁in ▁capac ities ▁to ▁include ▁Brigade ▁and ▁Division ▁positions . ▁He ▁has ▁deployed ▁into ▁Ira q ▁on ▁five ▁occasions ▁and ▁also ▁served ▁two ▁deploy ments ▁in ▁Afghan istan . ▁ ▁Bishop ▁Sp encer ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁as ▁a ▁chap lain , ▁colon el , ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Ord ination ▁and ▁min istry ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Sp encer ▁was ▁ord ained ▁a ▁priest ▁by ▁Arch bishop ▁B orders ▁at ▁the ▁C athedral ▁of ▁Mary ▁Our ▁Queen . ▁His ▁first ▁assignment ▁was ▁as ▁an ▁associate ▁past or ▁at ▁Sac red ▁Heart ▁Church ▁in ▁G ly nd on , ▁for ▁three ▁years . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁M ons ign or ▁Cla re ▁J . ▁O ' D w yer ▁Ret re at ▁House ▁in ▁S par ks , ▁and ▁also ▁acc ession ed ▁again ▁into ▁the ▁Army ▁Reserve ▁as ▁a ▁batt alion ▁chap lain , ▁serving ▁with