Major Trenton L. Smith is currently serving as an Accociate Professor of Aerospace Studies (APAS) at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 730 based at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As an APAS and the Detachment Operations Flight Commander, he is responsible for the four-year officer education and training for AFROTC cadets from the University of Pittsburgh and 15 crosstown universities in the greater Pittsburgh area. Major Smith is a developmental engineer officer and came to the university after executing developmental test as the Lead A-10 Test Engineer at the 40th Flight Test Squadron Detachment 1 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
After undergraduate studies at West Virginia University, Major Smith commissioned upon graduation from Air Force Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Throughout a career as a developmental engineer officer, Major Smith has led multi-functional teams conducting weapon research, performing fleet support across a variety helicopter and C-130 variant aircraft, assisting engineering needs of deployed combat operations, and bringing new battlefield capabilities and munition integration to the A-10. He has fielded solutions across a rare breadth of the cradle-to-boneyard acquisition cycle aiding numerous USAF MAJCOMs, the US Navy, the US Army, and 21 Allied Nation customers.
Major Smith has deployed to Ali Al Salem AB in Kuwait where he served as a Depot Liaison Engineer (DLE) as part of the Aircraft Battle Damage Repair Engineer and Joint Combat Assessment Team (Combat Forensics) programs in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. He performed the role of the sole USAF combat forensics engineer in the US Central Command Area of Responsibility. Additionally, he led maintenance response teams, depot-level coordination, and engineering assistance across nine different Mission Design Series (MDSs) of aircraft in Kuwait and Iraq. His efforts contributed to numerous operation successes and over 5,000 hours of aircraft availability saved.
- 2017 Joint Combat Assessment Team (Combat Forensics) Certification Course, China Lake NAWS, Calif.
- 2016 Aircraft Battle Damage Repair Engineer Certification Course, Robins AFB, Ga.
- 2016 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2015 UH-1N Helicopter Field Maintenance Course, Ft Worth, Texas
- 2011 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
- 2009 Bachelor of Science degree, Mechanical Engineering, West Virginia University
- 2009 Bachelor of Science degree, Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University
Education & Training
- Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
- 2018 Mid-Career Military Engineer of the Year, Mobility & Training Aircraft Directorate (Wing Level)
- 2018 CGO of the Quarter, 2nd Quarter, 386 Air Expeditionary Wing
- 2016 Mid-Career Military Engineer of the Year, Robins AFB
- 2016 CGO of the Quarter, 3rd Quarter, ISR & SOF Directorate (Wing Level)
- 2015 Acquisition Professional Development Program, Science and Technology Manager, Level III
Assignments
1. February 2011 - February 2013, Weapon Subsystems Developmental Engineer, Weapons Engagement Division, Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
2. March 2013 - December 2014, Weapons Subsystems Lead Integration Engineer, Weapons Engagement Division, Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Fla.
3. January 2014 - August 2014, Assistant to the Chief Scientist, Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Fla.
4. September 2014 - June 2015, Explosives Research Engineer, Ordnance Division, Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Fla.
5. August 2015 - October 2017, Deputy Chief, H-1 Engineering, Special Operations Forces, Personnel Recovery, and Rotary Division, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
6. October 2017 - January 2020, C-130 Structures and Systems Engineer, C-130 Hercules Division, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Ga. (January 2018 - July 2018, Depot Liaison Engineer and Combat Forensics Engineer, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
7. January 2020 - June 2022, Lead A-10 Test Engineer, 40th Flight Test Squadron Detachment 1, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. June 2022 - Present, Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies, AFROTC Detachment 730, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant Feb. 18, 2011
First Lieutenant Feb. 18, 2013
Captain Feb. 18, 2015
Major Oct. 1, 2020
(Current as of July 2022)
