Chaplain (Colonel) Ralph Lindon Smith, Jr. was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class Number 21, 1 August 1952. His first duty assignment was as Pioneer and Ammunition Platoon Leader, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Squad Tactics Instructor, Regimental Training Faculty, 11th Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Platoon Leader, C Company, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; Special Services Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; Reserve Component, Headquarters, Arizona Military District, Sixth Army, 6510th Army Service Unit, Phoenix, Arizona; Student, Basic and Advanced Artillery, 6244th United States Army Reserve School, Tucson, Arizona; Student, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 6329th Logistics Command (Reinforced Training), Ontario, California; Pipeline Engineer Officer, 363rd Engineer Group, Dallas, Texas; Chaplain, 363rd Engineer Group, Dallas, Texas; Chaplain, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 323rd Ordnance Battalion, Dallas, Texas; Chaplain, 493rd Engineer Group, Dallas, Texas; Chaplain, 94th General Hospital, Mesquite, Texas; Chief, Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care, United States Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and Director, Chaplaincy Services, Irving Healthcare System, Irving, Texas. | His military schools attended include: Leadership School; Basic Airborne School, Jumpmaster; Eta Jima Specialist School, Basic and Advanced Artillery Officers Course, Ranger Course, Chaplain Orientation Course, Annual Fourth Army Chaplain Training Schools, Chaplain Advanced Mobilization, Annual Fifth Army Chaplain Training Schools, Command and General Staff College, Military Chaplains Association Institutes for Professional Growth, Personal Effectiveness Training Workshop, Military Chaplains Association Seminar on Crisis Intervention, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Military Chaplains Association Workshop on Biomedical Ethics, Hospital Ministry and Pastoral Care Course, Military Psychiatry and Stress Seminar, Air War College, Health Services Command Chaplain Professional Development Conference, United States Army Alcohol and Drug Abuse Team Training Course, Army Medical Department Division and Combat Psychiatry Course, Eisenhower Army Medical Center Health Care Professionals Course on Alcoholism, Health Services Command Individual Mobilization Augmentee Training School, Army Area School for Chaplains. He is a graduate of Illinois State Normal University (Bachelor of Science in Education); University of Arizona (Master of Education); Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University (Bachelor of Divinity). | His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal w/ One Bronze Service Star, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ Two Ten-Year Devices, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal w/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, United Nations Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Korean Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.