Chief Master Sergeant Gregory A. Smith is the Command Chief Master Sergeant of Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. The command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 19,000 Total Force Airmen across six operational wings, one special operations group and a special operations center. Chief Smith advises the AFSOC Commander on the training, education, readiness and resiliency of the enlisted force. He has held leadership positions at the squadron, wing, command and NATO levels.

Chief Smith entered the Air Force in March 1990. He began his career as an aircraft armament systems specialist and retrained as an AC-130U aerial gunner in 1996. His previous assignments include Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Eielson AFB, Alaska, Hurlburt Field, MacDill AFB, Fla., Kirtland AFB, N.M., Stuttgart, Germany, and Mons, Belgium. Chief Smith has deployed in support of numerous contingencies, including operations Joint Endeavor, Joint Forge, Silver Wake, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He has flown 3,500 hours in AC-130H/U, HH-60G and various aircraft, including 1,379 combat hours.

EDUCATION
1995 Airman Leadership School, Eielson AFB, Alaska
2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2003 Associate's degree in Applied Science, Aviation Operations, Community College of the Air Force
2003 Associate's degree in Applied Science, Aircraft Armament Systems, Community College of the Air Force
2005 USAF Additional-Duty First Sergeant Symposium, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Joint SNCO Professional Military Education Course, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2007 U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Bachelor's degree (summa cum laude), Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies, Henley-Putnam University, San Jose, Calif.
2009 Methods of Instruction Course, Joint Special Operations University, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2012 USAF Leadership Enhancement Program - Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg, Pa.
2012 USAF AFSO 21 Senior Leader's Course, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
2012 USAF Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Learning, Greensboro, N.C.
2013 Keystone Fellow, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2014 USAF Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Keenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2015 USSOCOM Summit Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1990 - April 1990, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. April 1990 - July 1990, Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist Technical Training Course, Lowry AFB, Colo.
3. August 1990 - January 1993, Armament Section Crew Member, 46th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
4. February 1993 - January 1996, A-10 Weapons Load Crew Member, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. February 1996 - December 1999, AC-130U Aerial Gunner, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. January 2000 - December 2000, Ops Planner/AC-130 Instructor Gunner, 16th Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. January 2001 - July 2004, Superintendent, Wing Strategic Plans, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. August 2004 - December 2005, Flight Chief, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
9. January 2006 - April 2007, AC-130 Evaluator Gunner, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
10. December 2006 - February 2007, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Joint Task Force, U.S. Special Operations Command
11. May 2007 - March 2008, Superintendent, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. April 2008 - June 2010, Command Aerial Gunner Functional Manager, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. July 2010 - January 2012, Course Director, Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. February 2012 - August 2013, Command Chief, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
15. September 2013 - July 2015, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
16. July 2015 - June 2016, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, NATO Special Operations Headquarters, Mons, Belgium
17. June 2016 - Present, Command Chief, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with valor with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars
NATO Medal for Yugoslavia
Polish Armed Forces Medal with Gold Bar
Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal of Distinction (Special Operations)

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1993 Airman of the Year, 355th Fighter Squadron
1994 Maintenance Professional of the Year, 355th Fighter Squadron
1994 Airman of the Year, 355th Fighter Squadron
1995 John L. Levitow Distinguished Graduate Award, Airman Leadership School
1997 NCO Professional of the Year, 4th Special Operations Squadron
2001 NCO of the Year, 16th Special Operations Wing Plans and Programs
2003 Commandant's Award and Distinguished Graduate, NCO Academy
2003 STEP Promotion to master sergeant
2005 Henry "Red" Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Award, 16th Special Operations Wing
2007 Distinguished Graduate, AF Senior NCO Academy
2007 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Air Force Special Operations Command
2009 Distance Education Training Council National Outstanding Graduate Award

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 2010

(Current as of June 2016)