Colonel Michael Smith

Colonel Michael J Smith is a Michigan native born in Sault Sainte Marie, Colonel Smith interviewed with Cadre during Freshman Orientation activities at WMU and volunteered for the Army ROTC program. He pursued a major in Chemistry and graduated in 1967 as a Distinguished Military Student with a Bachelor of Arts degree in General Studies. In 1969, he married Camilla Marcinek, WMU Class of 1970; they have two children, Jeffrey and Brenda.

After attaining a Masters of Chemistry degree at the University of Notre Dame, he entered active duty at Fort Sam Houston, TX, where he completed the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer's Basic Course and company level command at the Academy Brigade, Medical Field Service School. He volunteered for a short tour in Korea where he served as the S-1, 2nd Medical Battalion, 2D Infantry Division.

Returning from Korea as a Captain, he served in a series of assignments as a Health Care Administrator, beginning at the Fort Campbell Army Community Hospital. From there, he attended the AMEDD Officer Advanced Course and taught Personnel Management subjects to mid- and senior-level officers and enlisted Soldiers at the US Army Academy of Health Sciences. An Honor Graduate at the US Army Command and General Staff College, he was accepted into the Army-Baylor University Graduate Program where he earned a Masters Degree in Health Care Administration.

With his Army-Baylor credential, he pursued the Patient Administration career field, beginning with assignment as the first Patient Administration Chief at Winn Army Community Hospital, Ft Stewart, GA, followed by consecutive assignments as Director, Patient Administration at Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center, (then) West Germany, and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC. At Landstuhl, he was instrumental in the management and tracking of civilian and military casualties from the Ramstein Air Show Disaster (Flugtag, 1988) and in the expansion of hospital capabilities to accommodate casualties during Operations Desert Shield and Storm.

He completed his 30-year active duty career at the Office of the Army Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA, where he served on the Army Staff with collateral responsibilities as Chief, Patient Administration, US Army Medical Command, and The Surgeon General's Consultant for Patient Administration. Following retirement on 31 August 2000, he was selected to continue serving the AMEDD in a civilian capacity as Assistant Executive Officer for The Surgeon General where he managed a variety of medical staff activities including interactions with the Executive Office Headquarters, Department of the Army; Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs/TRICARE Management Activity; 11 staff directorates within the Office of The Surgeon General; and 11 Major Subordinate Commands within the US Army Medical Command.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/ 3 OLC, Army Achievement Medal w/ OLC, Army Superior Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal w/ OLC, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon w/ OLC, Army Staff Identification Badge, and Expert Field Medical Badge, and the AMEDD Order of Military Medical Merit.