Meritorious Service Medal
- Awarded on: April 26, 2011
- Invested on: January 26, 2012
Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel
With keen insight, Lieutenant-Colonel Smyth advanced Canadian tactical aviation as commanding officer of the Canadian Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) from September 2009 to August 2010. He was committed to taking troops off the dangerous Afghan road networks, and led the maintenance staff in their efforts to ensure aircraft serviceability was never a limiting factor. Mastering the employment of new equipment, he enhanced support provided to ground forces. Lieutenant-Colonel Smyth’s remarkable efforts were critical to the success of operations, including the largest airmobile operation in the history of Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan.
