About Us: Staff Biographies

Colonel Daniel M. Smith, USA (Ret.)
Senior Fellow, Military and Peaceful Prevention Policy

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Colonel Daniel M. Smith graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1966. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry, Colonel Smith's initial assignment was as an infantry and heavy weapons platoon leader with the 3rd Armor Division in Germany. Following language training, he then served as an intelligence advisor in Vietnam before returning to the U.S. to do graduate work at Cornell University and teach philosophy and English at West Point.

Subsequent intelligence and public affairs assignments took him to Fort Hood, Texas; the Army Materiel Research and Development Command, where he was the speech writer for the Commanding General; the Defense Intelligence Agency; and Headquarters, Department of the Army. Six of his years with the Defense Intelligence Agency were spent in London working in the British Ministry of Defense and then as Military Attache in the U.S. Embassy. Colonel Smith retired from the Army in 1992 after 26 years service. From April 1993 to September 2002 he was an analyst at the non-partisan Center for Defense Information in Washington, DC, becoming Associate Director in 1995 and Chief of Research in 1999.

Colonel Smith is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army War College. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal(4).

Colonel Smith joined the Friends Committee on National Legislation in September 2002 as Senior Fellow on Military Affairs. Dan has a blog, The Quakers' Colonel, where you can read his writing. You can also find selected pieces on FCNL's web site.

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Reviewed: 06/13/2007

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