Major General Smith is the Deputy Commanding General (Australia) for the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), located at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
Prior to his arrival at USARPAC, he served as the Director General Land Operations (G3) of the Australian Army. His other senior appointments include Director General Strategic Planning – Army (now Director General Future Land Warfare), Director Plans – Army, Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force and Chief of the Defence Force’s Liaison Officer to the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.
His operational experience includes: Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion Battle Group, Afghanistan, 2011; Operations Officer, 2nd Battalion Battle Group, Iraq, 2006; United Nations Military Observer, Lebanon and Golan Heights, 2002; Platoon Commander, United Nations Assistance Mission, Rwanda, 1995. Major General Smith also served as the Commander Landing Force for the newly formed Australian Amphibious Ready Element in 2013.
His other appointments include: Military Assistant to the Chief of Army; Staff Officer Grade 1, Future Land Warfare; Adjutant, Royal Military College – Duntroon; and Staff Officer Grade 3 Operations, Headquarters 3 Brigade.
Major General Smith is an honors graduate of the United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies. He is also a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, the Royal Military College - Duntroon, and the Australian Defence Force Academy. He is an alumnus of the Cranlana Colloquium, Australian Federal Police International Senior Leaders Course, and French Ministry of Defence Future International Leaders Program.
His academic qualifications include: Master of Military Art and Science, United States Army Command and General Staff College, and Bachelor of Arts, University of New South Wales.
His awards include: Distinguished Service Cross, Conspicuous Service Cross, United States Legion of Merit (Officer), French Legion of Merit (Chevalier), United States Bronze Star, Commander Joint Operations Commendation, Meritorious Unit Citation-Rwanda.
He is married and together they have one daughter.