BRIGADIER GENERAL ANDREW W. SMOAK

Brig. Gen. Andrew W. Smoak is deputy director, Plans and Customer Operations Directorate, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Reston, Va. NIMA is a combat support agency jointly chartered by the secretary of defense and the director of central intelligence. The agency is the central authority for imagery and mapping in the U.S. government. It provides imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial information support to U.S. and allied military forces, other government activities and the civil sector in support of national security objectives.

The general entered the Air Force in June 1971 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy. He has commanded a bomb squadron, an operations group and a wing, and has served on the Air Staff and at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The general also performed duties as executive assistant to the commander in chief of U.S. Strategic Command. He is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, principally in the B-52.

EDUCATION
1971 Bachelor of science degree, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
1978 Master of arts degree in diplomatic history, Chapman College, Orange, Calif.
1985 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1992 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1996 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1971 - January 1973, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. January 1973 - January 1976, B-52G pilot, 744th Bomb Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
3. January 1976 - May 1978, B-52G pilot, 441st Bomb Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
4. May 1978 - July 1982, instructor and assistant professor of military history, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
5. July 1982 - August 1984, B-52G instructor pilot and flight commander, 524th Bomb Squadron, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich.
6. August 1984 - June 1985, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
7. June 1985 - March 1988, air operations staff officer, Strategic Offensive Forces Division, the Air Staff, Washington, D.C.
8. March 1988 - August 1989, commander, 9th Bomb Squadron, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas
9. August 1989 - July 1991, executive to deputy chief of staff for operations, and chief of nuclear requirements cells, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Mons, Belgium
10. July 1991 - July 1992, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1992 - January 1994, commander, 416th Operations Group, Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y.
12. January 1994 - February 1995, chief of current operations, Headquarters U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
13. February 1995 - June 1996, executive assistant to the commander in chief of U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
14. June 1996 - March 1997, deputy director of plans and programs, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
15. March 1997 - May 1999, commander, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
16. June 1999 - March 2000, director, Customer Support Office, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Reston, Va.
17. April 2000 - present, deputy director, Plans and Customer Operations Directorate, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Reston, Va.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,500
Aircraft flown: B-52D/F/G/H, T-37, T-38 and T-41

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 9, 1971
First Lieutenant Dec 9, 1972
Captain Jun 9, 1974
Major Apr 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1987
Colonel Jan 1, 1992
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1997

(Current as of May 2000)