Military technical consultant, writer-editor W. Thomas Smith, Jr. is a recognized expert in matters of national defense; primarily special operations, counterterrorism, amphibious operations, unconventional warfare and conventional ground combat. His work has appeared in U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, GEORGE magazine, The Associated Press, The New York Post, Business Week, Investor’s Business Daily, Marine Corps Times, Police One, S.W.A.T. magazine, Police magazine, Black Belt magazine, Deutsche Welle, Israel National News, Human Events, The Daily Caller, Association of the U.S. Army magazine, American Legion magazine, CBS News, The Christian Post, many others.
A formerly deployed U.S. Marine rifle squad (infantry) leader, a nuclear security and counterterrorism instructor, a tactical (SWAT) team officer in the nuclear industry, and a retired colonel (O-6) in the S.C. Military Dept.; Smith is a military technical consultant for films airing on The Military Channel and E! Entertainment Television. As a military analyst, Smith has appeared on THE FOX NEWS CHANNEL and NEWSMAX. He is an author; columnist; New York Times bestselling editor; founding partner of NATIONAL DEFENSE CONSULTANTS, LLC; national director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team; former adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina (his alma mater, BA History, 1982); former national security advisor for presidential candidate Rick Santorum; and former advisor to the South Carolina Governor’s Military Base Task Force. He is a special deputy sheriff with the Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Department and director of the department’s Elder Abuse Awareness Team. Smith also serves on the executive leadership team of the National Security Task Force, South Carolina Floodwater Commission.
Smith has been awarded multiple times for counterterrorism activities and honored on four separate occasions by four different recipients of the Medal of Honor. Aside from military decorations and other military and civilian awards, Smith is a recipient of two South Carolina Senate commendations, a U.S. Army North commendation, an IRONMAN award, an Honorary BLACK BELT, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s 2018 CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR award. He’s also a recipient of the Palmetto Patriot Award, the highest award presented by the South Carolina lieutenant governor; the ORDER OF THE PALMETTO, the highest honor awarded by the State of South Carolina and presented by the governor; and the ORDER OF ST. MAURICE (Centurion level), a national infantry award.
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A veteran war correspondent, Smith has covered conflict across the Balkans and throughout the Middle East [Author and former White House advisor Dick Morris discusses work of W. Thomas Smith Jr. — Listen here].
Smith is the founding director of Always Faithful Outreach, a Christian ministry reaching out to the homeless and others in need. He also serves or has served on numerous boards and advisory councils, including the board of directors of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Military Support Foundation, and the South Carolina Military Hall of Fame [SEE BIOGRAPHY PAGE FOR MORE].
“W. Thomas Smith, Jr. is one of the nation’s premier counterterrorism and special operations experts.”
— Medal of Honor recipient John Baker
“One of the nation’s top counterterrorism experts.”
— The Associated Press
“One of the nation’s premier military technical consultants and counterterrorism experts.”
— WSAV-TV (NBC 3) Savannah, GA
“A sterling U.S. Marine infantry leader and incisive counterterrorism expert with both deployed USMC service and, later as a civilian military analyst, front-line combat experience in the Iraq War and elsewhere. The vast scope of his service is reflected in his extensive, distinguished, reputable body of work.”
— Col. Steve Vitali, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), commander of U.S. and foreign forces in Iraq and Afghanistan
“W. Thomas Smith, Jr. is one tenaciously tough and brilliant Marine infantry leader.”
— Dr. Tom Mullikin, South Carolina Floodwater Commission chairman
“Easily one of the nation’s premier counterterrorism experts and Shia extremism analysts.”
— Ops Lens magazine
“He stands on a wall that makes us all safer. Much respect.”
— Bruce Brutschy, South Carolina Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee
“A military analyst with expertise in special operations and amphibious and ground warfare.”
— The State newspaper
A FAVORITE SCRIPTURE VERSE
“The Lord your God is with you.
“He is mighty to save.
“He will take great delight in you.
“He will quiet you with His love.
“He will rejoice over you with singing.”
― Zephaniah 3:17
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
“Whenever you encourage someone – not hollow flattery, but sincere praise and encouragement – you are advancing God’s Kingdom from the position of your own piece of spiritually contested ground.”
― Excerpt from Smith’s book, WHY ENCOURAGEMENT (see below)
― PLEASE ALSO VISIT US ON FACEBOOK.
