Space Force Lt. Col. Russell Smith began his military career in the Air Force but became intrigued by space as one of the most important warfighting domains. He soon transferred to the Space Force and sees his role in the newest service as part of history as space operations become vital to U.S. security and global stability.
Job Title: Deputy Commander, Combined Joint Forces Space Forces and Deputy Commander, United States Space Command – Space
Hometown: Gilbert, South Carolina
Stationed at: Vandenberg Space Base, California
Service: United States Space Command (S4S)
Tell us your commission story. Why did you choose to serve?
I always felt like the military was where I was headed. Several people who have influenced my life served in the military. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. Several of the men in my life attended the Citadel and I followed in my brother’s footsteps and went to the Air Force Academy. We are both still serving more than 15 years later, with my brother currently serving as the Vice Commander of the 18th Maintenance Group in Okinawa, Japan.
I came to the military academy because I wanted to lead others. I seized the opportunity to play football and receive a quality education while pursuing my goal of being commissioned as an Air Force officer. I’ll never forget hearing the vice president say at the graduation ceremony, “Class of 2009, you are dismissed.” I tossed my cap as high as I could. As I looked out at everyone in the sky, the Thunderbirds flying overhead at exactly the right time, I knew I had made the right choice.
Why did you transfer to the U.S. Space Force? What advice do you have for those considering transferring?
When I attended space training in college, I was in the first cohort to commit fully to a space or missile career field. I was selected to specialize in space operations and loved it. I had joked for years that we should have a separate “space force,” and lo and behold, 10 years later, we launched the Space Force as our own military force. It was a natural fit for me to transfer and I was excited to do so.
I advise you that now is the time to enlist. Be a part of history and leave your mark on the culture and traditions of the newest military branch. It will open doors and opportunities you never knew existed.
Explain the importance of space in the military field.
The very existence of a Space Force speaks to the importance of this new battlefield. At the U.S. Space Force Change of Command ceremony on January 10, 2024, [vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] “Recent conflicts have clearly demonstrated the essential role space plays in our defense capabilities, and in my view, space has emerged as the most critical warfighting domain critical to our national security, coalition interoperability, and global stability,” he said.
Think about it. Every mission starts with a weather forecast. Where does it come from? Every time you swipe your credit card, it’s time-stamped with a GPS. If we use GPS mindlessly in our everyday personal lives, imagine how much we rely on location, navigation, and timing in the military to move troops and guide precision weapons. We provide the President with reliable, survivable satellite communications, and we track and maintain tens of thousands of objects in space. Operations in, from, and to space are deeply intertwined with every branch of the intelligence community and the military.
We provide intelligence and surveillance, space domain awareness, electronic warfare, satellite communications, missile warning, cyber, orbital warfare and command and control of satellite constellations.
When we don’t see satellites and space activity every day, it’s easy to take space for granted. The public doesn’t realize how much we depend on it, but our adversaries do, and space has become a highly contested and crowded environment. Together with our partners and allies, we are committed to deterring aggression, ensuring unfettered access to space, and enabling future space activities to ensure that there is never a day without space.
How do you support space leadership in your current role?
I am in the unique position of serving as an aide to two general officers; one service specific and one joint service. They are each aides to three star commanders who report to Spacecom and USSF while integrating and coordinating joint and service priorities. Keeping things running smoothly in this dynamic office requires an enormous amount of planning and quick thinking. I have run thousands of meetings and events, reviewed and staffed hundreds of performance reports and decorations, and planned, booked and supported dozens of events. [temporary duty stations]I learned a lot in the process, developing speeches and briefings, and conducting ceremonies, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented, professional, and agile team.
What space-related skill was the hardest for you to master?
One of the most useful and challenging things I’ve learned is to understand complex ideas and explain them to people in a way that’s easy to understand. But there’s always room to grow. I learn something new every day. I could be here talking about the technical intricacies of orbital mechanics or digging deep into complex missions like launching and landing spaceplanes, which my team has successfully completed many times, but I wouldn’t let the complexity of our domain discourage someone from joining our team. We work hard. Winning is important to us. I’m very proud of what we do every day.
Tell us about your family and support system.
I have been happily married for 12 years and my wife (Michelle) and two children (Mirabelle and Roman) are very supportive. Michelle loves to plan adventurous outings for our family which allows us to enjoy every place we are stationed. We have been active in our churches and local communities in every place we’ve lived which has given us a lot of stability and purpose outside of the military.
What do you do when you’re not in uniform?
I love playing guitar, barbecuing, hunting, fishing, snowboarding, and being outdoors. I read as many books as I can (my favorite was 2034 by Ackerman and Admiral Stavridis) and do my best to stay in shape (recently participating in the Spartan Obstacle Course). Since moving to California, my kids and I have taken up lobster fishing and skateboarding. Our family has learned to embrace whatever the locals enjoy, and because of that, we have found many new hobbies. We stay busy with sports and homeschooling our two kids. My wife and I have had the honor of participating in numerous worship teams at various churches across the country. My dad always says, “You keep the grass from growing under your feet!”
