August 30, 2024

FORT SMITH, Ark. — Arkansas State Police Sergeant Greg Smith was awarded the Purple Heart in a ceremony on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith.

U.S. Senator John Boozman presented Sgt. Smith with the award because of injuries he sustained while in service to our nation during an attack at the Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq on Jan. 8, 2020. Smith was serving as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Sgt. Smith was one of about 1,000 U.S. service members who were located at the base, which hosts U.S forces in western Iraq, during the missile attack. The missile bombardment lasted 80 minutes. Iranian forces fired 16 missiles, 11 of them landing at Al-Asad.

Sgt. Smith has been an ASP Trooper for 22 years and has served in law enforcement for 28 years. He retired from the Army Reserve in September 2023 with 20 years of service.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been wounded or killed in service to our nation. The Purple Heart is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces and is the nation’s oldest military award still presented to American service members.