Captain Scott Smith, U.S. Navy
Director, Senior Officer Training, Surface Warfare Officers School.
Chair, Naval Institute Editorial Board
Captain Smith is a surface warfare officer. His at-sea assignments include deployments from the east and west coasts in USS Donald B. Beary (FF-1085), USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Stethem (DDG-63), USS Ramage (DDG-61), and as Chief Staff Officer for the Commander, Destroyer Squadron 28 embarked in USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS Boxer (LHD-4). Crews from these ships cumulatively earned multiple Battle Efficiency Awards, and Joint, Navy, and Meritorious Unit Commendations.
Captain Smith's command tours include USS Klakring (FFG-42) from 2009–2011—where his shipmates and he deployed to the North, Mediterranean, and Black Seas, and nine months later, circumnavigated South America as part of the UNITAS exercise program—and commissioning commanding officer of USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) from 2015–2019.
Ashore, he has served at Surface Warfare Officers School; as Speechwriter to the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command; as Speechwriter to the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey; and, as Deputy to the Secretary of Defense’s Senior Advisor for Military Professionalism.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Virginia Military Institute and Master’s Degrees from the University of Massachusetts (Professional Writing) and the National War College (National Security Strategy).