Michael Smeath

Michael Smeath
Smeath in 2023
Born	(1967-10-02) 2 October 1967 (age 57)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	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.

Early life and education

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]

RAF career

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]

References

1. "Smeath, Air Vice-Marshal Michael John, (born 2 Oct. 1967), Director Global Defence Network, Ministry of Defence, since 2023". Who's Who 2024. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
2. "Air Vice-Marshal Mick Smeath CBE". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
3. "Smeath, Air Vice-Marshal Michael John, (born 2 Oct. 1967), Defence Attaché, Washington, since 2020." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2021
4. "No. 52254". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1990. p. 13859.
5. "RAF Leeming squadron rewarded for exceptional service". Harrogate Advertiser. 23 September 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
6. "New station commander at RAF Honington". Bury Free Press. 21 December 2016.
7. "Ministry of Defence and Tri-Service Senior Appointments" (PDF). September 2011. p. 7. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
8. "Senior Appointments 10 February 2020". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
9. "Senior Appointments 2022". Royal Air Force. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
10. "Defence Diplomacy: A softer side of UK Defence". UK Parliament. Defence Sub-Committee. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
11. "No. 56237". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2001. p. 7.
12. "No. 62150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2017. p. N7.

Military offices
Preceded by Gavin Parker	Head of the British Defence Staff – US and Defence Attaché 2020–2023	Succeeded by Timothy Woods
Preceded by Scott Miller	Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment 2022–present	Incumbent