COLONEL RICHARD S. SMUDIN UNITED STATES ARMY
Colonel Richard S. Smudin has served for over 30 years in the United States Army. A native of Bridgewater MA, he graduated from the Boston University School of Management and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1988. These assignments included Rifle Platoon Leader 3-18th Infantry, Executive Officer 3-363rd Infantry, Company Commander 3-415th Infantry (OSUT), and Battalion Commander of the 3-304th Infantry (USMA). He has commanded at the Company, Battalion and Brigade level while also serving in key staff assignments that included: battalion operations, battalion logistics, and brigade operations.
After completing his command and staff assignments with the Infantry he was accepted for assignment into the 353rd Civil Affairs Command (Airborne), in 2004. He served in a variety of key positions including; Team Leader 443d Civil Affairs Battalion, Company Commander 443d Civil Affairs Battalion, and Executive Officer 443d Civil Affairs Battalion. Colonel Smudin's operational deployments include service as the Mobilization Plans Officer, Fort Drum, NY in 2003, Civil Affairs Team Leader in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II - III, and Division Engagements Officer for the Commander of Multi-National Division North at COB Speicher Iraq during OIF 07-09. In 2011 he was promoted to Colonel and soon after selected for Brigade Command, serving as commander of the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade. Colonel Smudin’s most recent assignment included Plans Chief with the 353d CACOM, responsible for providing trained and disciplined Soldiers to combatant commanders worldwide for peacetime and war contingencies with special focus on EUCOM.
Colonel Smudin is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Civil Affairs Qualification Course, and the Command and General Staff College. Colonel Smudin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the Boston University Questrom School of Management, and a Master of Business Administration from the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. He is currently employed with Rapid7 as a Security Solutions Engineer in Boston.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Reserve Forces Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Expert Infantryman's Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.
Colonel Smudin is married to the former Jennifer Welding and has two children, Katherine and Stanley - who is currently enrolled in ROTC at Syracuse University.