SAN DIEGO - Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Smith, a native of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, serves the U.S. Navy and is assigned to Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), where the Navy’s surface warfighters increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the Surface Force.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joey Sitter, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West |
Smith graduated from Dunmore High School in 2006. Additionally, Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Penn State University in 2010 and a master’s degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Dunmore.
“My parents, specifically my mother, were relentless,” Smith said. “They would do whatever it took to make sure we were successful. I was struggling academically going into high school, and my parents had me take a study skills class. Once I went into my freshman year, it was a night and day difference. It shaped me academically. It always took a lot longer for me to learn, but that work ethic stuck with me.”
Smith joined the Navy 15 years ago. Today, Smith serves as a surface warfare officer.
“I wanted to join the Navy right out of high school,” Smith said. “My cousin was a Navy SEAL, so I wanted to become one right after graduation. However, my band director, the late Wayne Smith, pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to go to college first.’ I said, ‘That sounds like a great idea. I’m going to go to college first.’ When my brother joined the Navy right out of high school, it renewed my interest in the Navy. So, while I was in college, I applied for Officer Candidate School.”
“SMWDC sailors exemplify the dedication, expertise and tactical excellence that drive the lethality of our Surface Force,” said Rear Adm. Wilson Marks, Commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center. “Through their commitment to warfighting innovation and operational proficiency, they strengthen our Navy’s combat readiness and ensure that we remain ready to deter or defeat any adversary when our nation calls.”
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Smith has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I just got selected to command a naval warship,” Smith said. “Looking back at high school, when I imagined where life would take me, that’s one of the things that I never thought I’d be doing. That’s the pinnacle of my career right now.”
Smith serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy has been life-changing,” Smith said. “It has provided well beyond what I thought I was capable of and what I thought I’d be. I’m able to provide for my family and make my family proud. I’m able to serve our country and be at the forefront of what our country needs.”
Smith is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Theresa and the late Henry Smith, and my family, especially my brother, Shawn, who’s been doing this with me step by step,” Smith added. “I also want to thank my teachers throughout high school for the tough love they provided. I’d also like to thank my wife, Caitlin. We’ve been together since 2015. She’s been doing this along with me for a while, and she’s taken it all in stride.”