Kirk W. Smith
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1989–present
RankLieutenant General
Commands heldSpecial Operations Command Europe
21st Special Operations Squadron
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
Iraq War
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (3) with "C" device
Bronze Star Medal (2)

Kirk William Smith[1] is a United States Air Force lieutenant general currently serving as the deputy commander of the United States Africa Command. Prior to that, he was the commander of the Special Operations Command Europe of the United States European Command.[2][3][4]

Awards and decorations

US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
United States Africa Command Badge
Headquarters Air Force Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit with "C" device and two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (second ribbon to denote fifth award)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze star
 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Bronze star
 Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars
Bronze star
 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with two service stars
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze star
 Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service star
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with three service stars

Effective dates of promotions

Rank Date
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major September 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2005
Colonel September 1, 2009
Brigadier General December 3, 2014
Major General July 3, 2018
Lieutenant General August 4, 2020


References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kirk W. Smith.
  1. ^ "Class of 1989". United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Lieutenant General Kirk Smith (USAF)". U.S. Air Force. August 2, 2021. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "Special operations troops in Europe get a new boss".
  4. ^ "Special operations troops get a new boss in Stuttgart".

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

Military offices Preceded byAlbert Elton Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements of the Air Force Special Operations Command 2014–2016 Succeeded bySean M. Farrell Preceded byStephen A. Clark Director of Force Management and Development of the United States Special Operations Command 2016–2017 Succeeded by??? Preceded byAntonio Fletcher Deputy Commanding General for Operations of NATO Special Operations Component Command and Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan 2017–2018 Succeeded byOtto K. Liller Preceded byMark C. Schwartz Commander of Special Operations Command Europe 2018–2020 Succeeded byDavid H. Tabor Preceded byJames C. Vechery Deputy Commander of the United States Africa Command 2020–present Incumbent


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