Michael Smeath | |
|---|---|
 Smeath in 2023 | |
| Born | 2 October 1967 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1989–present |
| Rank | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Commands | RAF Regiment RAF Honington No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War Bosnian War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Air Vice-Marshal Michael John Smeath, CBE (born 2 October 1967) is a senior Royal Air Force officer.
Smeath was born on 2 October 1967 in Woking, Surrey, England. [1] He undertook a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in international studies with the Open University, graduating in 2006. [1] [2] The same year, he completed a Master of Arts degree in war studies via King's College London. [1] He later studied at Deakin University, Canberra, graduating with an MA in strategic studies. [3]
Smeath joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an aircraft propulsion engineer in 1987. [2] He rose to the rank of senior aircraftman, before being selected for officer training in 1990. [1] [2] Having attended the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, [1] he was commissioned on 21 June 1990 as a pilot officer, with seniority in that rank from 15 January 1989. [4] He served as officer commanding No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment. [5] He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Honington in 2014, [6] Liaison Officer to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in July 2017 and Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff in August 2018. [7] In February 2020 Smeath was appointed Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C., with effect from August 2020. [8] In January 2023, he was appointed director of the Global Defence Network in the Ministry of Defence; [9] as such, he is head of the UK's military attaché world wide network. [10]
Smeath was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours, [11] and advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 New Year Honours. [12]
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