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Admiral Leighton W. Smith, Jr., USN (ret.)
Name: Admiral Leighton W. Smith, Jr., USN (ret.)
Previous Experience:
- Navy
Spectrum Experience:
- Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe
- Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe
- Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations
Biography:
Admiral Leighton W. Smith, Jr. USN (ret.) joined The SPECTRUM Group after a distinguished thirty-four-year career in the United States Navy. After serving in various staff and command positions in the United States and Europe, Admiral Smith culminated his career as Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe, a NATO command. In that capacity, Admiral Smith commanded the NATO-led multinational Implementation Force (IFOR) headquartered in Sarajevo. Admiral Smith also served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy, and Operations, during which he was a member of two previous base closure and realignment committees. A former carrier-based naval aviator, Admiral Smith was Director of Operations (J-3) United States European Command during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Admiral Smith has had worldwide experience in crisis management, in planning and strategy development, in training large and small organizations, and in executing complex multinational military operations. In March 1997, in a private audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Admiral Smith was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire. In addition to his work with The SPECTRUM Group, Admiral Smith is currently serving as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analysis. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Naval Academy Alumni Association. .
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