Official U.S. Navy website - Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

Commander Michael Smith Executive Officer

Commanding Officer CDR McClelland Executive Officer CDR Smith Command Master Chief CMDCM Haka

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Commander Michael Smith is a native of Waterbury, Vermont. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in December 1992 under the Delayed Entry Program. He reported to Naval Education and Training Command Orlando, Florida in May 1993. Upon completion of recruit training he entered Apprentice Training as a Deck Seaman and returned to drill at Naval Reserve Center Burlington, Vermont. He was selected for his NROTC scholarship in August 1993, graduated from Norwich University and was commissioned in May of 1996.

CDR Smith’s initial sea tour was Communications Officer in USS SAMUEL B ROBERTS (FFG 58) in Norfolk, Virginia. He qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer and completed one Middle Eastern Deployment. He transferred to USS STUMP (DD 978) in 1999 serving as Auxiliaries Officer, Electrical Officer and Damage Control Assistant and qualifying Engineering Officer of the Watch. He extended onboard STUMP to complete a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Deployment as Navigator and VBSS Officer, qualifying as Tactical Action Officer. After completing Department Head School he reported to USS CURTIS WILBUR (DDG 54) in Yokosuka, Japan in December 2003 as Operations Officer, training and deploying for the first BMD patrol in September 2004. He transferred to USS PRINCETON (CG 59) in San Diego, California in June 2005 and served as Operations Officer and Air Defense Syndicate Lead until November 2006. While on PRINCETON he completed one WESTPAC deployment with the NIMITZ Strike Group.

Ashore CDR Smith reported to Naval Postgraduate School in 2001 and graduated in early 2003. He reported to Commander, Naval Surface Forces in San Diego as AAW/BMD/SUW action officer in the N7 directorate in December 2006. During his TYCOM tour CDR Smith volunteered for an Individual Augmentation to Iraq as an Electronic Warfare Officer. He served 10 months as Brigade EWO for the 35th Engineer Brigade of the Missouri National Guard, the route clearance formation for Multi-National Division-Baghdad. He returned, completed his TYCOM tour, and reported to Commander, THIRD FLEET as BMD Officer in July 2009. Upon completion of his Fleet tour in August 2011 he commenced pipeline training. He reported to USS LASSEN (DDG 82) in April 2012.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a MBA from Norwich University and a Masters of Science in Information System Operations from Naval Postgraduate School.
CDR Smith personal decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (2 awards) and various campaign and unit awards.