Veteran for Life:
Mike Smietana
U.S. Air Force
1982 – 2008
Civil Engineer
The icing on the cake is my second career with AAFES. I still work with AF and Army installation engineers. Building and renovating AAFES facilities for the future for the best customers in the world!
My time is service was pretty awesome: I was an Air Force civil engineer for 26 years and commander three times. My TDYs have taken me to to Bagram, Balad, Ali Al Salem, Al Jaber and Al Udeid. I had several Pentagon assignments, which I liked in a weird sort of way. While the duty and assignments were great, it was the outstanding people I met and worked with that is by far my lasting memory, outstanding leaders and patriots who I consider friends and mentors still today.
Especially rewarding was my wife fully bought into the Air Force experience. She loved every moment, teaming with me to make it a satisfying career. She misses it as much as I do. Arnold, Eglin, Lajes, Bentwaters, Pentagon, Wright-Patt, Langley, Ft McNair, McGuire, Hurlburt Field—great assignments all!
The icing on the cake is my second career is with AAFES. I still work with Air Force and Army installation engineers, building and renovating AAFES facilities for the future’s best customers in the world!
