Mark E. Smith is a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

and the 24th National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol. Maj Gen Smith succeeded Maj Gen Joseph Vazquez as National Commander on September 2, 2017. He led over 63,000 members across the U.S. in fulfilling CAP's congressionally chartered missions of

Emergency Services Emergency services and rescue services are organizations that ensure public safety and health by addressing and resolving different emergencies. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while others deal w ...

, Cadet Programs and

Aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astr ...

Education, including

Homeland Security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" t ...

as the newest member of the

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

’s Total Force. He was previously the Southwest Region Commander and New Mexico Wing Commander.

Education

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...

Bachelor's of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

International Affairs International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such a ...

* Air Force Squadron Officer School *

Air Command and Staff College The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Univ ...

Air War College The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...

* Embry Riddle Aeronautical University - Master's of

Aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...

Management *

Olivet Nazarene University Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) is a private Nazarene university in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Named for its founding location, Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907. In the late 1930 ...

Doctor of Education The Doctor of Education (Ed.D. or D.Ed.; Latin ''Educationis Doctor'' or ''Doctor Educationis'') is (depending on region and university) a research or professional doctoral degree that focuses on the field of education. It prepares the holder for a ...

in Ethical

Leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...

Military and private work experience

General Smith retired as a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

from the U.S. Air Force in 2000 after 26 years of service. A veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he later commanded the

27th Fighter Squadron The 27th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force 1st Operations Group located at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. The 27th is equipped with the F-22 Raptor. The 27th Fighter Squadron is the oldest active fighter squad ...

at Langley Air Force Base,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. Later he served as Director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Joint Advanced Distributed Simulation Joint Test and Evaluation (JADS JT&E) program. In the private sector, General Smith worked at senior levels for both small and large corporations and as a private consultant. He also served as an International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) board member and as the first chair of the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization's Executive Committee.

Civil Air Patrol

General Smith began in Civil Air Patrol in 2005. He is a CAP

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

and served in command positions within all levels of the organization. As Region Commander, he led CAP's Leadership Development Working Group, a national-level team that has developed products, tools and courses to better equip CAP's leaders. This group was responsible for the Unit Commander's (UCC) Course. General Smith was appointed by the Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors on June 18, 2017 to a three-year term as National Commander/ CEO which commenced on September 2, 2017. As National Commander, he was the highest-ranking CAP officer and served as Civil Air Patrol's Chief Executive Officer and as an advisor to the CAP Board of Governors, the organization's governing body. General Smith also led the CAP Command Council and the CAP Senior Advisory Group (CSAG). On August 8, 2019, CAP's Board of Governors extended General Smith's three-year term for one additional year. Major General Edward Phelka succeeded Major General Smith as National Commander on August 26, 2021.

Commands held

* CAP National Commander (September 2, 2017 – August 26, 2021) *Southwest Region Commander (June 27, 2015 – September 1, 2017) * New Mexico Wing Commander (June 27, 2011 – June 29, 2015) *New Mexico Wing Vice Commander (2010 - 2011) *Albuquerque Heights Composite Squadron Commander (January 13, 2006 – April 1, 2008) *

USAF awards and decorations

References