U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Kirk Smith, deputy commanding general of the NATO Special Operations Component Command and Special Operations Joint Task Force in Afghanistan, has been assigned as commander of the Special Operations Command Europe.
He will also serve as director of special operations at the U.S. Europe Command in addition to his new role as SOCEUR chief, the Defense Department said Friday.
Smith supervised all U.S. and NATO special operations forces in Bagram, Afghanistan, over the past year.
He previously served as director of force management and development at U.S. Special Operations Command’s headquarters in Florida.
He joined the military after he graduated in 1989 from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as an instructor or evaluator pilot for the T-37, MH-53J and MH-53M platforms.
