COVER STORY
The Smith Family, from left: Patsy Hodges, mother In-law, daughters Tori and Taylor, Silhouette Vanedra, Lille Smith, mother, and CSA General Milley pose with Brother Smith upon his promotion to Lieutenant General.
and processes, and investigating areas of concern. While serving as the 66 th Inspector General, and as a General Officer for the past ten years, I’ve learned many valuable lessons through successes and challenges.” “My first assignment out of college was as the Chemical Officer for the 3 rd battalion, 52 nd Air Defense Artillery in Germany. That was a great initial assignment but at the same time, it presented many learning opportunities. As a young officer being away from home and from the United States for the first time, there was a steep learning curve in applying all that I had learned in ROTC and from Kappa in a real-world environment. Fortunately, there were great mentors in Germany that I was able to connect with who provided invaluable leadership lessons that helped develop me into the person I am today. These mentors reinforced values I had learned from Kappa: hard- work, honorable achievement, helping others; as well as lessons I had gained in ROTC: know your craft, determination, selflessness, be prepared. “Another great opportunity I had was as the company commander for the 21 st Chemical Company at the 82 nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I was in charge of 120 or so Soldiers,
many of them not much younger than me. It really gave me a sense of what it means to place the needs of others ahead of your own. There is probably no better assignment for a young officer to serve in as a company commander than the 82 nd Airborne Division. Physically and mentally demanding, that assignment helped shape my perspective on what the Army is all about.” deployed units to Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and South Korea in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Noble Eagle. There, he put to use the values and lessons he learned as a Kappa and as a leader. “I had the great privilege and honor of leading a group of very talented Soldiers and officers while deployed to Iraq. Although the environment was challenging and even unforgiving at times, the conditions required me to call upon all the lessons and values that had been inculcated in me from my family, the Army, and Kappa to achieve the Army’s desired outcome. The end result was that brave young men and women performed exceptionally well under the most demanding circumstances. The net effect of that experience I would As the battalion commander of the 83 rd Chemical Battalion, Lt. Gen. Smith
later apply to my role as Inspector General in helping units across the Army be prepared whenever and wherever the Army calls upon them.” These experiences helped mold Lt. Gen. Smith into the General Officer he is today. As the commander of the Army’s only Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosives command, Lt. Gen. Smith learned to deal with complexities of units deployed and stationed in nineteen locations and three to five countries. “The dedication of Explosive ordnance Disposal and CBRN Soldiers who put themselves in harm’s way to mitigate the threats of weapons of mass destruction is awe inspiriting. I will never forget my years of service with this unique team.” “I am most proud of the results we have seen across our Army. We have a focused, adaptive and responsive force grounded in the Army’s values and high ethical standards. Our drive, perseverance, and focus on mission accomplishment make us the best in the business. I am honored to be a part of it. The United States Army Inspector General Agency is proud to lead the way in ensuring standards are met and enforced.”
Publishing achievement for 105 years
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