George W. Smith Jr.

George W. Smith Jr. is a lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps who currently serves as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations.[1] He previously served as Senior Military Assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense, a position for which he was nominated by James Mattis in September 2018.[2][3] He was commissioned in 1985 after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, through a Naval ROTC program.[4] He is the son of George W. Smith, who was a major general in the Marine Corps. On May 1, 2019, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan announced that the president had nominated Lt. Gen. George W. Smith Jr. for reappointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as deputy commandant for plans, policies, and operations, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.[5]

George W. Smith Jr.
Smith in 2019
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1985–present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	the Basic School 1st Force Reconnaissance Company
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan Iraq War
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (3) Meritorious Service Medal Navy Commendation Medal
Relations	George W. Smith

Military career

Smith was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant in 1985 following graduation NROTC program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Smith graduated from The Basic School and the Infantry Officers Course, then reported to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines where he served as a rifle platoon commander and later as the 81 mm Mortar Platoon Commander. He then transferred to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines where he served as Logistics Officer and Rifle Company Commander. He has served staff billets including Series and Company Commander, MCRD, San Diego; Inspector-Instructor, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company; Future Operations Planner, I Marine Expeditionary Force G-3 and G-5; and Deputy Operations Officer, 1st Marine Division. As a lieutenant colonel, Smith assumed command of 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, during which he deployed twice in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. From 2007 to 2010, Smith was the Commanding Officer, The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia.

As a General Officer, he served as Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California; Deputy Commander, Regional Command Southwest in Helmand Province, Afghanistan; Deputy Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia; Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division, Quantico, Virginia, Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, Florida, and most recently as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. He assumed his current duties as Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations in August 2019.

Awards and decorations

U.S. military decorations Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with gold award star Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and two gold award star Meritorious Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold award star Navy Achievement Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal Combat Action Ribbon Presidential Unit Citation Joint Meritorious Unit Award Navy Unit Commendation with bronze campaign stars Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with three bronze campaign stars U.S. Service (Campaign) Medals and Service and Training Ribbons National Defense Service Medal with bronze campaign stars Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze campaign stars Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze campaign stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver and two bronze service stars Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon NATO Medal for service with ISAF

U.S. badges, patches and tabs Scuba Diver Badge Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia Rifle Expert Badge Pistol Expert Badge Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

References

1. "Plans, Policies & Operations (PP&O)". hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
2. Todd South. "There are more Marines in power now than ever before. Here's how it happened". marinecorpstimes.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
3. "General Officer Announcement > U.S. Department of Defense > News Release View". dod.defense.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
4. "George Smith - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
5. "General Officer Announcements". dod.defense.gov. Retrieved 2019-07-07.