SMITH, Gregory

SMITH, Gregory (Dubuque, IA-- ). Military officer. Rear Admiral Smith, a career Navy public affairs officer, received a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the University of Iowa, and was commissioned in 1982. He was a 1997 honors graduate of Old Dominion University receiving a Masters of Public Administration degree. In 2010 he was the director of Communication for the International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces Afghanistan. He was responsible for coordinating Public Affairs, Information Operations, and Key Leader engagement.

Smith had been the director of Communication for United States Central Command. Prior to that, he was spokesman and chief of public affairs for Multi-National Force-Iraq. Before deploying to Iraq, he was the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Information (CHINFO) serving as the principal spokesman for the Department of the Navy and providing strategic communication counsel to the secretary of the Navy and the chief of naval operations. As CHINFO, he managed the Navy’s public affairs community, which included more than 2,500 active and reserve officer and enlisted and civilian communication professionals.

At the time of his selection to flag in May 2006, Smith was serving as special assistant for public affairs to the vice chairman Joints Chiefs of Staff. Additional joint and NATO experience included serving as director of public affairs, U.S. Joint Forces Command and chief of public information for NATO’s Allied Command Transformation. During this period, he oversaw the establishment of the Joint Public Affairs Support Element which provides combatant commanders with expeditionary public affairs, exercise and mission rehearsal training, and joint public affairs proponency.

Other public affairs tours of duty have included three overseas assignments to Guam, Italy, and Japan. At-sea assignments include serving aboard the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship, USS Belknap (CG 26) and the U.S. 7th Fleet flagship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19); three previous tours in the Pentagon as special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, media desk officer and director of media operation for the chief of information; and in direct fleet support as director of public affairs for Naval Air Station Whiting Field/Training Air Wing 5, Submarine Forces Atlantic Fleet and commander U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Smith’s personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal (second award), Legion of Merit (second award), Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service medal (second award), Navy Commendation Medal (fourth award), and Joint Commendation Medal (second award).