BRIGADIER GENERAL SHANNON D. SMITH
Brig. Gen. Shannon Smith is the Commander of the Idaho Air National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General - Air at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. As the Commander and Assistant Adjutant General, he ensures the continued readiness of more than 1,300 Airmen, supporting both the State and Federal mission. The organization’s primary missions are close air support and forward air control to combat troops from all services in support of combat operations abroad, agile combat mission support, defensive cyber effects ensuring dominance in and through cyberspace, and providing high fidelity electronic simulations of ground-based air defense threat systems for cutting edge combat training. The organization is also responsible for providing ready Airmen to respond to stateside emergencies when called upon.the General entered the Air Force in May 1992 through ROTC from Montana State University. He then served 10 years on active duty before transitioning to the Air National Guard. General Smith is a graduate of the USAF Weapons School later returning as an instructor. He has served over 21 years as an Air National Guardsman with multiple combat deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.
The General has over 12 years of command experience having commanded at the squadron, group, and wing level. General Smith has held national positions as Air National Guard A-10 Weapon System Council Chair, and Fighter Weapon System Council Chair, and National Guard Association of the United States, Combat Air Forces Task Force Chair providing subject matter expertise on fighter force structure, modernization, and recapitalization. Prior to his current position, the General was the Chief of Staff, Idaho Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Boise, Idaho.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1998 USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2010 USAF Safety/Accident Investigation Board President Course, Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 ANG Commander Development Course, Joint-Base Andrews, Md.
2018 Executive Master of Business Administration, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
2019 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Peterson AFB, Colo.
2020 Dual-Status Commander Qualification Program, USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2021 Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, Project Management Institute
2023 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School-Executive Education, Mass.
2023 USAF Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2024 Executive Leadership Program in Managing for Inclusion, Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1993 - May 1994, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. May 1994 - March 1997, A-10 Fighter Pilot, 75th Fighter Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C. (May 1994 – July 1994, Student, Intro to Fighter Fundamentals, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas) (September 1994 – March 1995, A-10 Qualification Training, 357th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.) (September 1995 – December 1995, A-10 Fighter Pilot, Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait)
3. March 1997 - April 1998, A-10 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Squadron Plans, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
4. April 1998 - November 2000, A-10 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Squadron Weapons & Tactics, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska (July 1998 – December 1998, Weapons Instructor Upgrade, 98BIV, USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.)
5. April 1999 - July 1999, A-10 Weapons Officer, Al Jaber AB, Kuwait
6. November 2000 - April 2002, Flight Commander, A-10 Weapons Instructor, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. April 2002 - February 2009, A-10 Chief of Training, Weapons Officer, 190th Fighter Squadron, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho (December 2002 – May 2003, Air Expeditionary Group Weapons Officer, 438th Air Expeditionary Group, Al Jaber AB, Kuwait) (April 2007 – July 2007, Expeditionary Group Weapons Officer, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Al-Asad AB, Iraq) (April 2008 – July 2008, Expeditionary Group Weapons Officer, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
8. February 2009 - February 2011, Chief of Safety, 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
9. February 2011 - February 2012, Director of Operations, 190th Fighter Squadron, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
10. February 2012 - February 2014, Commander, 190FS, 190th Fighter Squadron, Gowen Field, Idaho (May 2013 – October 2013, Deputy Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
11. February 2014 - July 2014, Deputy Commander, 124th Operations Group, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
12. July 2014 - June 2015, Commander, 124th Maintenance Group, Gowen Field, Idaho
13. June 2015 - May 2019, Commander, 124th Operations Group, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
14. May 2019 - November 2021, Commander, 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho (May 2019 – November 2021, Installation Commander, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho)
15. November 2021 - June 2022, Director of Operations, Idaho Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
16. June 2022 - July 2022, Chief of Staff, Idaho Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
17. July 2022 - May 2024, Commander, 113th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (August 2023 – May 2024, Performing the Duties of Deputy Commanding General – Air, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, D.C.)
18. June 2024 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, JFHQ-ID, Boise, Idaho
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,600 (500 combat)
Aircraft flown: C-40C, F-16C, A-10C, A-10A+, A-10A, T-38, and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eight oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device and three oak leaf clusters
District of Columbia Distinguished Service Medal
Idaho Governor’s Outstanding Unit Citation with two oak leaf clusters
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
Member, National Guard Association of the United States
Combat Air Forces Task Force Chairman, Nation Guard Association of the United States
Member, Air and Space Force Association
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1992 Distinguished Graduate, Reserve Officer Training Corps
1995 Distinguished Graduate, A-10 Qualification Training
1996 U.S. Army Airborne Course Graduate
1998 Academic, Flying, and Outstanding Graduate Award, USAF Weapons School
2000 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Oct. 28, 1992
First Lieutenant Oct. 28, 1994
Captain Oct. 28, 1996
Major Aug. 4, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 22, 2008
Colonel Aug. 21, 2014
Brigadier General May 31, 2022
(Current as of September 2024)
