Smith was an only child and grew up in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, California. He graduated from Mission Bay High School in 1995, enlisted in the United States Air Force in July 1995 and served for six years. He was a ground radio maintenance (2E1X3) specialist and was promoted to staff sergeant in August 2000. He completed his military service in 2002. As a Foreign Service employee, he lived in The Hague, Netherlands, with his wife, Heather, and children, Samantha and Nathan.[4][5]
Smith was one of four Americans killed in the Benghazi attack. He was posthumously awarded the U.S. Department of State's Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service on May 3, 2013.[9] On the day of his death, Smith typed a message to the director of his Eve Online gaming corporation that read, "Assuming we don't die tonight. We saw one of our 'police' that guard the compound taking pictures."[5]
Spontaneous reactions from the Eve Online player base included a mass renaming of outposts throughout its universe.[10] The game's Council of Stellar Management published a tribute to Smith two days after his death.[11] Zack Parsons on the Something Awful forums organized a benefit for Smith's family, raising US$127,000.[9][12]
United States Air Force
Staff Sergeant
