[1] He was acting MCPON from June 22, 2018, when Steven S. Giordano resigned, to August 29, 2018, when he officially assumed the role.

Smith reported to Recruit Training Center San Diego, California, in September 1988, and began his career as a airman.

He also served on numerous deployments and detachments while attached to Naval Special Warfare and Defense Intelligence Agency elements.

[2] Smith's shore tours include service as the operations non-commissioned officer at the United States Defense Attaché Office in Moscow, Russia; on the Chief of Naval Operations' staff as the senior enlisted for the intelligence community; as the CMC for the Office of Naval Intelligence; as the OPNAV Staff's command master chief in Washington, DC; as the United States Naval Academy's command master chief in Annapolis, and most recently as the fleet master chief, Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education in January 2017.

[3] In February 2022, it was made public that Smith was under investigation by the Naval Inspector General for unspecified misconduct.