Command Chief Master Sergeant Matthew R. Smith

State Command Chief Master Sergeant, Florida Air National Guard

 

Chief Master Sergeant Matthew R. Smith is the 13th Command Chief Master Sergeant for the Florida Air National Guard, St. Augustine, Florida. Chief Smith represents the highest level of enlisted leadership and is the principal advisor to the Florida Air National Guard Assistant Adjutant General on all matters pertaining to enlisted Airmen. In this role, he is directly responsible for influencing the mission readiness, professional development, force management, health, morale, and welfare of the State’s more than 2,000 enlisted Airmen and their families. He provides guidance and mentorship to more than 34 Chief Master Sergeants throughout the state.

Chief Smith enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in June 1990. He completed B-1B Defensive Avionics School in February 1991, and was stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, Grand Forks, ND, serving as a Defensive Avionics Specialist for 2 years with the 46th Bomb Squadron. Chief Smith began his Air National Guard career with the 164th Airlift Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, Memphis, TN in October 1992 as a C-141B crew chief. He returned to the avionics field as an Integrated Electronics Technician in February 1997, and deployed to Ramstein AFB, Germany in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 2001-2002. In 2010 Chief Smith became the 164th Security Forces Squadron First Sergeant and later transitioned to become the 164th Operations Group/Wing First Sergeant in August 2013. In 2016 Chief Smith took off the First Sergeant diamond and returned to the maintenance community. He has served for over 30 years in the aircraft maintenance community in various positions on active duty, technician, and as a drill status guardsman. Chief Smith was the 164th Mission Support Group Senior Enlisted Leader for the 164th Airlift Wing, Memphis, TN from December 2020 until September 2023. Prior to his current assignment, Chief Smith served as the Group Senior Enlisted Leader of the 125th Maintenance Group, 125th Fighter Wing, Florida.

Additionally, he is employed by FedEx as an Aircraft Maintenance Senior Technical Instructor and has been with the company for the past 24 years