Thomas Dale Smith

Thomas Dale Smith, Colonel, USA (Ret.)

The author enlisted in the US Army in September 1967. After Basic Training served in the Sixth Infantry Divarty as a “gun-bunny” with a 13 B MOS. Graduated from Infantry OCS in 1968 and as Infantry Officer served with the 24th Infantry Division, 2d Infantry Division, Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV),  First Cavalry Division, (RVN), 101st Airborne Division, 25th Infantry Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82d Airborne Division, Army Staff DAMO ODO,  Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), 3/325 Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT), United States Central Command (CENTCOM) and Special Operations Command, Central (SOCCENT).

American Military Awards included: The Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Award, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with three OLCs, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four OLCs, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Staff Badge, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the US Army Master Parachutist’s Badge, and Expert Marksman Badges M-14 and M-16.

Military Schools included: Infantry OCS, Infantry Officers’ Captain’s Course,  Royal New Zealand Army’s Staff College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Army War College as a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s JFK School of Government.

After Army service he was a Member of the Florida Bar and served 17 years as an Assistant State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco Counties, Fl., and as Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor, Tampa Office, Florida’s Office of the Attorney General; and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) for the United States Department of Justice, Middle District of Florida.

He is married to his wife Christine, and they have a son Raymond, two daughters Heidi and Joy, and three grandchildren. They live in Central  Florida.