MAJOR GENERAL DIRK D. SMITH Maj. Gen. Dirk D. Smith is the Vice Director for Joint Force Development (J7) on the Joint Staff, Washington D.C. Supporting the Director, J7, he provides oversight and direction of a diverse organization that provides joint training, joint force development, concept development, operational analysis and lesson learned activities to achieve the chairman’s vision for the National Military Strategy. General Smith was commissioned in 1988 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded at the squadron, group, air and space operations center, wing and air expeditionary task force levels. His duty history includes multiple combat air forces operational flying assignments including serving as a U.S. Air Force Weapons School Instructor. General Smith is a command pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the F-15C and F-22A. He has participated in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. The general has served in multiple staff assignments including Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Pacific Command and Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. Prior to his current assignment, General Smith was the Deputy Commander for Operations and Intelligence, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command. EDUCATION 1988 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1997 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. 2000 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. 2001 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 2002 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 2008 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2015 Senior Joint Information Operations Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2016 Joint Force Air Component Commander’s Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2016 Joint Force Land Component Commander’s Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1988 - September 1989, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas 2. October 1989 - December 1989, Student Pilot, AT-38 Lead-In Fighter Training, Holloman AFB, N.M. 3. January 1990 - June 1990, Student Pilot, F-15 Replacement Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 4. June 1990 - June 1995, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Chief of Standardization and Evaluations and Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 59th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. 5. May 1995 - February 1996, Chief of Training, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 6. March 1996 - January 1997, Platform Academics Instructor, 325th Operational Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 7. June 1997 - May 1998, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 1st FS, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 8. May 1998 - June 2002, Aircraft Handling and Basic Fighter Maneuvers Phase Manager, Instructor and Flight Commander, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 9. June 2002 - March 2004, Chief of Advanced Programs, Information Operations Division, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. 10. March 2004 - June 2004, Student Pilot, F-15C requalification training, Kingsley Field, Ore. 11. June 2004 - June 2005, Director of Operations, 71st FS, Langley AFB, Va. 12. July 2005 - March 2007, Commander, 94th FS, Langley AFB, Va. 13. March 2007 - July 2007, Deputy Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va. 14. July 2007 - June 2008, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 15. July 2008 - October 2008, Force Application Functional Capability Board Chair, A5R-FA Division Chief, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 16. November 2008 - July 2010, Commander, 1st OG, Langley AFB, Va. 17. August 2010 - August 2011, Commander, 609th Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar 18. August 2011 - March 2013, Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 19. March 2013 - June 2015, Deputy Director for Operations, Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii 20. June 2015 - May 2017, Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam, Hawaii 21. May 2017 – May 2018, Deputy Commander for Operations and Intelligence, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve and Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force-Levant, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait 22. July 2018 – present, Vice Director for Joint Force Development, J-7 the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 2002 - March 2004, Chief of Advanced Programs, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a major 2. March 2013 - June 2015, Deputy Director for Operations, Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel and brigadier general 3. May 2017 – May 2018, Deputy Commander for Operations and Intelligence, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, as a major general 4. May 2017 – present, Vice Director for Joint Force Development, J-7 the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., as a major general FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: command pilot Flight hours: more than 2,800 Aircraft flown: F-15C, F-22A MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Bronze Star Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award Kuwait Liberation Medal EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 1, 1988 First Lieutenant June 1, 1990 Captain June 1, 1992 Major Oct. 1, 1999 Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2004 Colonel Sept. 1, 2008 Brigadier General Jan. 31, 2014 Major General Nov. 2, 2017 (Current as of September 2018)