Brig. Gen. Dirk D. Smith is the Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. He is responsible for ensuring PACAF provides ready air, space, and cyber power to promote United States interests in the Asia-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis, and in war. In this capacity, General Smith oversees operations for three numbered air forces and 10 wings in support of over 46,000 Airmen serving in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam. In addition, he executes duties as Joint Task Force Commander and Joint Force Air Component Commander in support of Pacific Command taskings.

General Smith entered the Air Force in 1988 after receiving his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels. His duty history includes multiple combat air forces operational assignments and he has served as a Flying Training Unit Instructor and a U.S. Air Force Weapons School Instructor. He commanded the 609th Air and Space Operations Center, AFCENT, directly supporting operations NEW DAWN and ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to his current assignment, General Smith was the Deputy Director for Operations, Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

He is a command pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the F-15C and F-22A, including 100 combat hours in OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH.

1988 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
1995 Squadron Officer School 1997 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, NV
2000 Master of Science in Aeronautical Science Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
2001 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
2002 Master of Science degree in military operational art and science, Fort Leavenworth, KS
2008 Master's in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Senior Joint Information Operations Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 Joint Force Air Component Commander’s Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 Joint Force Land Component Commander’s Course, Carlisle Barracks, PA

1. Sep 88 - Sep 89, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, TX
2. Oct 89 - Dec 89, Student Pilot, AT-38 Lead-In Fighter Training, Holloman AFB, NM
3. Jan 90 - Jun 90, Student Pilot, F-15 Replacement Training, Tyndall AFB, FL
4. Jun 90 - Jun 95, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Chief of Standardization and Evaluations and assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 59th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
5. May 95 - Feb 96, Chief of Training, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
6. Mar 96 - Jan 97, Platform Academics Instructor, 325th Operational Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
7. Jun 97 - May 98, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
8. May 98 - Jun 02, Aircraft Handling and Basic Fighter Maneuvers Phase Manager, Instructor and Flight Commander, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
9. Jun 02 - Mar 04, Chief of Advanced Programs, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, CO
10. Mar 04 - Jun 04, Student Pilot, F-15C requalification training, Kingsley Field, OR
11. Jun 04 - Jun 05, Director of Operations, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, VA
12. Jul 05 - Mar 07, Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, VA
13. Mar 07 - Jul 07, Deputy Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, VA
14. Jul 07 - Jun 08, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
15. Jul 08 - Oct 08, Force Application Functional Capability Board Chair, A5R-FA Division Chief, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. Nov 08 - Jul 10, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, VA
17. Aug 10 - Aug 11, Commander, 609th Air and Space Operations Center, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
18. Aug 11 - Mar 13, Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, AK
19. Mar 13 – Jun 15, Deputy Director for Operations, Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, HI
20. Jun 15 – Present, Director of Air & Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam, HI

1. Jun 02 - Mar 04, Chief of Advanced Programs, Information Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, CO
2. Mar 13 – Jun 15, Deputy Director for Operations, Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, HI

Rating: command pilot Flight hours: more than 2,800 Aircraft flown: F-15C, F-22A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

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

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant June 1,1988
First Lieutenant June 1,1990
Captain June 1,1992
Major October 1,1999
Lieutenant Colonel March 1,2004
Colonel September 1,2008
Brigadier General January 31,2014

(Current as of November 2016)