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Commander Lawrence P. Smith

Cmdr. Lawrence P. Smith, a native of Middleburg, Florida, graduated from the University of Florida in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering.  After earning his commission through Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, he received his naval aviator wings in December 2003 from Training Wing (TW) 1 in Meridian, Mississippi and completed fleet replacement training in the E-2C Hawkeye with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120, in Norfolk, Virginia.

His operational tours include VAW-126, Norfolk, Virginia, where he deployed with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and exercises in the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. During his department head tour with VAW-113, he held the positions of safety, administrative, and operations officer and deployed with CVW-14 aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in support of Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom. As “mini-boss” aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), he served as the principal assistant to the air department. 

His shore tours include Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, as a weapons and tactics instructor; U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida, in the Operations Directorate (J3) in the air operations branch of current operations; and Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, as air operations officer supporting Training Air Wing (TW) 6, the 479th Flying Training Group, and the Blue Angels. 

He currently serves as the executive officer of the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Pensacola, Florida.

Smith has accumulated more than 2,500 military flight hours in various airframes. 

His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (three Strike/Flight awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various campaign, service, and unit awards.
 

Last Updated: 26 October 2021

 
 
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