Michael Smeath

{{Infobox military person

|name= Michael Smeath

|image= BDS Awards Ceremony (52637586200) (cropped).jpg

|image_size=

|alt=

|caption= Smeath in 2023

|nickname=

|birth_date= {{birth date and age|df=y|2 October 1967}}

|birth_place=

|death_date=

|death_place=

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|allegiance= United Kingdom

|branch= Royal Air Force

|serviceyears= 1989–present

|rank= Air Vice-Marshal

|servicenumber=

|unit=

|commands= RAF Regiment
RAF Honington
No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment

|battles= Gulf War
Bosnian War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan

|awards= Commander of the Order of the British Empire

|relations=

|laterwork=

}}

Air Vice-Marshal Michael John Smeath, {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|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.{{cite web |title=Smeath, Air Vice-Marshal Michael John, (born 2 Oct. 1967), Director Global Defence Network, Ministry of Defence, since 2023 |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U290293 |website=Who's Who 2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=27 August 2024 |language=en |date=1 December 2023}}

He attended the William Alvey CE Primary School in Sleaford.Sleaford Standard Thursday 29 June 1978, page 14

He grew up on Hervey Road,Sleaford Standard Thursday 7 May 1987, page 4 and attended Sleaford Secondary Modern School, where he took part in competitive cross country running, and tennis,Sleaford Standard Thursday 5 March 1981, page 22Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 7 September 1982, page 10 and competed in cross country running at Lincoln College of Technology, which he left in 1986.Lincolnshire Echo Monday 11 March 1985, page 11 He competed at 800 metres in 1986.Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 10 May 1986, page 11

He undertook a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in international studies with the Open University, graduating in 2006.{{cite web |title=Air Vice-Marshal Mick Smeath CBE |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mick-smeath |website=GOV.UK |access-date=28 August 2024 |language=en}} The same year, he completed a Master of Arts degree in war studies via King's College London. He later studied at Deakin University, Canberra, graduating with an MA in strategic studies."Smeath, Air Vice-Marshal Michael John, (born 2 Oct. 1967), Defence Attaché, Washington, since 2020." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2021

RAF career

Smeath joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an aircraft propulsion engineer in 1987. He rose to the rank of senior aircraftman, before being selected for officer training in 1990. He had worked on the Nimrod at RAF St Mawgan.Sleaford Standard Thursday 28 June 1990, page 5

Having attended the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, he was commissioned on 21 June 1990 as a pilot officer, with seniority in that rank from 15 January 1989.{{London Gazette|issue=52254|page=13859|supp=y|date=24 August 1990}} He served as officer commanding No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment.{{cite web|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/raf-leeming-squadron-rewarded-for-exceptional-service-1-2682992|title=RAF Leeming squadron rewarded for exceptional service|publisher=Harrogate Advertiser|date=23 September 2005|access-date=12 February 2020}} In October 1994, he was one of a group of five, taken hostage for five days.The Scotsman Monday 31 October 1994, page 1

He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Honington in 2014,{{cite news|title=New station commander at RAF Honington|publisher=Bury Free Press|date=21 December 2016}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Ministry%20of%20Defence%20Senior%20Posts.pdf|title=Ministry of Defence and Tri-Service Senior Appointments|page=7|date=September 2011|access-date=12 February 2020}} In February 2020 Smeath was appointed Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C., with effect from August 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-appointments/ |title=Senior Appointments 10 February 2020 |author= |date=10 February 2020 |website=raf.mod.uk |publisher=Royal Air Force |access-date=12 February 2020}} In January 2023, he was appointed director of the Global Defence Network in the Ministry of Defence;{{cite web |title=Senior Appointments 2022 |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-appointments/ |website=Royal Air Force |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=19 October 2022}} as such, he is head of the UK's military attaché world wide network.{{cite web |title=Defence Diplomacy: A softer side of UK Defence |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmdfence/792/report.html |website=UK Parliament |publisher=Defence Sub-Committee |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=23 May 2023}}