U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, left, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, presents a Silver Star Medal to U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cody Smith, a Special Tactics combat controller with the 26th Special Tactics Squadron, during a ceremony at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Nov. 22, 2019. Smith was awarded the nation’s third highest medal against an armed enemy of the United States in combat for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan in October 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rachel Williams)

Indianola alum U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cody Smith has been awarded the Silver Star Medal for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan in October 2018. According to the Air Force Special Tactics, Smith is a Special Tactics combat controller with the 26th Special Tactics Squadron and was awarded the nation’s third highest medal against an armed enemy of the United States. Smith deployed twice to Afghanistan, in 2015 and 2018, once to Iraq or Syria for Operation Inherent Resolve in 2017, and once to an undisclosed location in the Middle East with an Army 7th Special Forces Group crisis response force in 2014. Smith was also chosen as the 2019 Airman of the Year by the Air Force Times.

*Photo provided by Air Force*