Michael Smeath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Air Vice-Marshal Michael John Smeath, CBE (born 2 October 1967) is a former senior Royal Air Force officer.
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Michael Smeath | |
|---|---|
Smeath in 2023 | |
| Born | 2 October 1967 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Service years | 1989–2026 |
| Rank | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Commands | RAF Regiment RAF Honington No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment |
| Conflicts | Gulf War Bosnian War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Early life and education
Smeath was born on 2 October 1967 in Woking, Surrey, England.[1]
He attended the William Alvey CE Primary School in Sleaford.[2] He grew up on Hervey Road,[3] and attended Sleaford Secondary Modern School, where he took part in competitive cross country running, and tennis,[4][5] and competed in cross country running at Lincoln College of Technology, which he left in 1986.[6] He competed at 800 metres in 1986.[7]
He undertook a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in international studies with the Open University, graduating in 2006.[1][8] 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.[9]
RAF career
Smeath joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an aircraft propulsion engineer in 1987.[8] He rose to the rank of senior aircraftman, before being selected for officer training in 1990.[1][8] He had worked on the Nimrod at RAF St Mawgan.[10]
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.[11] He served as officer commanding No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment.[12] In October 1994, he was one of a group of five, taken hostage for five days.[13]
He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Honington in 2014,[14] 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.[15] In February 2020 Smeath was appointed Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C., with effect from August 2020.[16] In January 2023, he was appointed director of the Global Defence Network in the Ministry of Defence;[17] as such, he was head of the UK's military attaché world wide network.[18] He retired from the Royal Air Force on 5 January 2026.[19]
Smeath was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours,[20] and advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 New Year Honours.[21]