Lt. Gen. Kirk Smith, U.S. Air Force

Deputy Commander

Lt. Gen. Kirk Smith is assigned as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. He is responsible to the commander to help direct and enable operations, activities and investments for the command as they promote the national security interests for the U.S. in the 11.2 million square mile U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility, consisting of 53 African countries. U.S. Africa Command works with partners to counter transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and respond to crisis in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.

Smith graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989. After completing undergraduate pilot training, he remained at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, as a T-37 instructor pilot. Following MH-53J qualification, he completed multiple operational flying assignments to include squadron command. Smith has been assigned to major command, air staff and multiple joint staffs. Smith was deputy commanding general-operations, NATO Special Operations Component Command/Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan, Bagram, Afghanistan.

Prior to assuming his current position, Smith was commander, Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. European Command, also headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. In this role, he was responsible for operations for all U.S. special operations forces in the U.S. European Command area of operations.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Master of Science in International Relations, Troy State University, Alabama

Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.

Assignments

July 1989 - June 1990, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Mississippi

June 1990 - June 1994, T-37 instructor pilot, 37th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Mississippi

June 1994 - March 1995, student, MH-53J Mission Pilot Qualification Course, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

March 1995 - Nov. 1998, MH-53J instructor/evaluator pilot, 21st Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, England 

Nov. 1998 - July 2001, MH-53M evaluator pilot and executive officer, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida

July 2001 - July 2003, chief, Senior Officer Matters, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida

July 2003 - May 2004, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

May 2004 - Sept. 2005, chief, Washington D.C. Rated/Joint Colonel Assignments, Air Force Senior Leader Management Office, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia

Sept. 2005 - Oct. 2007, commander, 21st Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, England

Oct. 2007 - July 2009, chief, Personnel Support Division, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida

July 2009 - June 2010, student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.

June 2010 - Sept. 2011, vice commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico

Sept. 2011 - July 2012, commander, Joint Special Operations Aviation Detachment–Afghanistan, Bagram, Afghanistan

July 2012 - Aug. 2014, special assistant and director, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida

Aug. 2014 - June 2016, director, Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida

June 2016 - March 2017, director, Force Management and Development, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida

March 2017 - June 2018, deputy commanding general-operations, NATO Special Operations Component Command/Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan, Bagram, Afghanistan

June 2018 - Aug. 2020, commander, Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany

Aug. 2020 - present, deputy commander, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany.

Summary of joint assignments

Sept. 2011 - July 2012, commander, Joint Special Operations Aviation Detachment—Afghanistan, Bagram, Afghanistan, as a colonel

July 2012 - Aug. 2014, special assistant and director, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a colonel

June 2016 - March 2017, director, Force Management and Development, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general

March 2017 - June 2018, deputy commanding general-operations, NATO Special Operations Component Command/Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan, Bagram, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general

June 2018 – Aug. 2020, commander, Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a major general

Aug. 2020 – Present, deputy commander, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant general.

Flight information

Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: 3,395
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-38A, UH-1H, MH-53J, MH-53M and C-145

Major awards and decorations

Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit Medal with two oak leaf clusters and C device
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal