Russell L. Smith

Russell L. Smith is a United States Navy sailor who served as the 15th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON). He was acting MCPON from June 22, 2018, when Steven S. Giordano resigned, to August 29, 2018, when he officially assumed the role.

Naval career Smith is a graduate of the United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 125/Blue) and the Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat (CMC/COB) Course (Class 42) at the Naval War College.

Smith reported to Recruit Training Center San Diego, California, in September 1988, and began his career as a airman. He became a weapons technician in 1990, then converted to the intelligence specialist rating in 1993. He was selected for the command master chief program in 2007.

Smith's sea duty assignments include , SEAL Team Four, , two tours on , and as the command master chief on .

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

On 22 April 2022, he visited the carrier after several crew members had committed suicide over the previous ten months, including three in one week earlier in the month. The ship has been at Newport News for a major mid-life overhaul since 2017, and many of the crew have reported life aboard the ship difficult due to the construction-like atmosphere, and the lengthy commute some of them must take daily. After his meeting with the crew, several of them reported feeling unsatisfied with the responses from Smith to their concerns. For example, after sailors complained that they had been unable to sleep due to construction noises related to the RCOH, Smith told them to have "reasonable expectations" and to remember that they were not "sleeping in a foxhole like a Marine might be doing."

He vacated the MCPON office on September 8, 2022 to Fleet Master Chief James Honea.

Awards and decorations

Eight gold service stripes. Smith received the Edwin T. Layton Leadership Award in fall of 2002 for leadership in the Intelligence Community.