Col. Michael Smith (Ret)

Colonel Mike Smith (US Army, RET), of Pflugerville, Texas, passed away on October, 2, 2014. He was born on September 21, 1952 in Boston, Massachusetts to John Thomas Smith and Irene Mary (Mooney) Smith. Colonel Mike Smith (US Army, RET) began his military career by enlisting in the Army in 1979. In 1980, he received an Officer Candidate School (OCS) commission as a Second Lieutenant in Air Defense Artillery (ADA).

Colonel Smith’s ADA assignments included: Launcher Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, D Battery, 2d Battalion, 52d ADA (Nike-Hercules), McGregor Range, New Mexico; Assistant S-3, Operations and Plans, and Force Development Officer, 6th ADA Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas; Commander, B Battery, 2d Battalion, 3d ADA, Fort Bliss, Texas ; and Assistant S-3 Operations and Battalion Fire Operations Center Officer in Charge (OIC) 4th Battalion, 7th ADA, Dexheim, Federal Republic of Germany.

Colonel Smith entered the Army Acquisition Corps in 1990 and was assigned as Chief, Patriot Fielding Office, Patriot Project Office at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In 1996, he served as Deputy Project Manager, Ground Based Interceptor, Army National Missile Defense Program Office, Huntsville, Alabama. In 1997, Colonel Smith was selected as Product Manager for the Theatre High Attitude Area Defense (THAAD) Radar, Huntsville, Alabama and White Sands, New Mexico. In 2001, he served as Program Manager for Army Aviation and Missile Command’s Army Missile Demilitarization Program, Huntsville, Alabama. Colonel Smith served as Principal Assistant Deputy Commander for Systems Support, US Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. In 2002, he was assigned as Project Manager, X-Band Radar, Ground Based Midcourse Defense Joint Program Office Huntsville, Alabama. Colonel Smith’s final assignment was Special Assistant to Brigadier General Patrick J. O’Reilly, Program Director, Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Joint Program Office, Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama.

Colonel Smith earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing Management from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1976. Colonel Smith holds a Masters of Strategic Studies Degree from the US Army War College (2001) and a Masters of Public Administration Degree from Shippensburg State University (2001). Colonel Smith’s military education includes the ADA Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Nike-Hercules Weapon System Course, Patriot Missile Weapon System Course, US Army Command and General Staff College, Material Acquisition Management Course, Advanced Program Management Course, US Army War College and the Executive Program Managers Course. Colonel Smith’s military awards include: Defense Superior Service Medal, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, five awards of the Army Commendation Medal and four awards of the Army Achievement Medal.

Colonel Smith, a native of Foxboro, Massachusetts, is survived by two daughters, Michelle, age 38 and Jaclynn, age 32, as well as three grandchildren, Joshua, age 17, Andrea, age 14 and Melody Bella, age 5.

The family of Colonel Smith will greet guests at a visitation to be held on Monday, October 13, 2014 from 2:30 to 3:30 pm in the Memorial Chapel of Cook-Walden Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville, Texas. Funeral Services with United States Army Military Honors will begin at 3:30 pm.