Senate confirms Gen. Eric Smith as Commandant of Marine Corps, 96-0

The U.S. Senate confirmed Gen. Eric M. Smith as Commandant of the Marine Corps in a 96-0 vote on Thursday.

In July, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger relinquished his post, leaving the military branch without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years.

Then assistant commandant of Marine Corps, Smith took over as acting Commandant. Just two months prior, President Biden nominated Smith to lead the service.

Over the past 24 hours, the Senate also confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Randy A. George as the Chief of Staff to the Army.

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri and raised in Plano, Texas, Smith graduated from Texas A&M University and was commissioned into the Marines in 1987.

Since then, Smith has commanded at every level, according to his biography on Marines.mil, including Weapons Company; 2nd Battalion; 2nd Marine Regiment during Operation Assured Response in Monrovia, Liberia; 5th Regiment during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and 8th Marine Regiment during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Smith has also commanded the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Southern Command, 1st Marine Division, and more.

More recently, Smith’s assignments as a General Officer included Senior Military Assistant to both the Deputy Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Defense, as well as Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration.

‘I want to congratulate General Randy A. George and General Eric M. Smith on their confirmation as our nation’s next Chief of Staff of the Army and Commandant of the Marine Corps, respectively,’ Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a Department of Defense release. ‘They will each be incredible leaders of their Service and will work to strengthen and modernize our military for the challenges ahead.’