Major General Matthew Smith retired from military service during a ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Ga. February 28, 2025. Lieutenant General Christopher Laneve, commander of the Eighth Army, was the presiding officer for the ceremony honoring Smith’s 32 years of service in the Army and Georgia National Guard.

In his remarks, Laneve chronicled Smith’s career and praised him for his decades of leadership.

Smith was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1993 and subsequently assigned as a platoon leader in Company A, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment at Fort Stewart and Kuwait. Joining the Georgia National Guard in 1996, Smith initially served as a Signal Platoon leader in Company H, 121st Infantry Regiment and rose to command the company in 1999. He returned to command Company H during its 2002-2003 mobilization to Iraq. Returning from support to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Smith served in a series of staff positions in the 78th Troop Command and 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team before assuming command of 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment. Smith deployed the battalion to Afghanistan in 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He returned to Afghanistan in 2019 as commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and led the battalion in its support of Operation Resolute Support. Upon his return, Smith was initially assigned as Deputy Director of Operations, Readiness and Mobilization for Headquarters, Department of the Army at the Pentagon in Washington, DC before assuming duties as Vice Director, Operations Directorate, for Operations at National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Va. before assuming command of Joint Task Force North in December 2022. During his command tenure, Smith was in charge of the Department of Defense’s efforts to counter transnational organized crime. He relinquished command of JTF North December 9, 2024.

During the ceremony, Leneve presented Smith with the Defense Superior Service Medal for his leadership in command of Joint Task Force North from December 2022 to December 2024. Smith also received the Georgia Distinctive Service Medal from Georgie Insurance Commissioner and retired Major General John King in recognition of his long service in the Georgia National Guard. Smith’s wife, Laura Balser, received the Outstanding Public Service Award from Laneve in recognition of her long and distinguished service to the Department of Defense. On behalf of the Governor of Georgia, King presented Balser with the Georgia Commendation Medal.

Command Sergeants Major Matthew Marks, senior enlisted leader of the Georgia Department of Defense and Jeff Ballenger, State Command Sgt. Major of the Georgia Army National Guard ceremonially cased Smith’s two-star flag ceremonially marking his end of service. Colonel Jean Paul Laurenceau, who served under in the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment and 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team under Smith’s command presented an American flag. The flag was first presented to Smith during his Eagle Scout ceremony in 1989 and has accompanied him on all of his overseas combat tours. The flag was flown over the Pentagon on September 13, 2024, in honor of Smith’s service.