GEN. ERIC SMITH NOT A FAN OF BEARDS OR THE IDEA OF MOVING MARINES TO GUAM
Taking over as Marine Corps Commandant has been a bit chaotic for Gen. Eric Smith who has faced many different challenges, including political blockades and health scares. The Four Star General had to overcome months of recovery after being hospitalized for cardiac arrest. However, the decorated leader of the Marines has since returned to his role full-time, but he’s not necessarily a fan of some of the branch’s latest developments.
Who Is General Eric Smith?
Gen. Eric Smith is a decorated military leader with a long, ongoing career with the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). Today, he is the branch’s highest-ranking Officer and Four Star General.
Since becoming a Second Lieutenant in 1987, in the the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Texas A&M University, Smith has fought in various conflicts earning medals and rising through the ranks. Serving in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm as well as tours in Liberia and Venezuela highlight some of his earlier days of service. However, Smith also served during Operation Iraqi Freedom fighting in Fallujah and Ramadi.
In 2005, while holding the position of the 2nd Marine Division’s Assistant Chief of Staff and the Commanding Officer of the 8th Marine Regiment, Smith led Marines during Operation Enduring Freedom. Smith’s military career continued when he would command Marines at various military installations, ultimately, becoming the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for The Pentagon.
Maj. Gen. Eric Smith worked to help provide a better environment for Marines. He strongly opposed hazing during his time commanding the First Marine Division at Camp Pendleton.
In July 2021, after rising even higher in the ranks, Smith was nominated for his Four Star General rank which was confirmed and set up his current position as the Commandant of the Marine Corps. While there were delays to confirm his nomination thanks to a political protest spearheaded by Senator Tommy Tuberville, in September 2023, Gen. Eric Smith was confirmed by a unanimous vote counted 96 to 0 and sworn in.
Who Is the Commandant of the Marine Corps?
Gen. Eric Smith is the current Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC), holding the highest-ranking officer in the US Marine Corps, typically a Four Star General and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Smith reports directly to the Secretary of the Navy, overseeing Marine Corps organization, policy, and programs. Advising top government bodies like the President and the National Security Council. Gen. Smith also allocates Marine personnel to unified combatant commands under Navy authority.
Nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the Commandant serves a four-year term with the option of one additional term during wartime or national emergencies. Since 1806, the commandant's official residence has been in the Marine Barracks (8th & I) in Washington, D.C., with headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia.
Hospitalization in 2023
Four months after the Marine Corps says Gen. Eric Smith is hospitalized for cardiac arrest, the Four Star General is returning to lead the branch.
Ever since Gen. Eric Smith's hospitalization on October 29, 2023, he has been working to get back to his position, even sending a message stating his intentions less than a month later. A successful open-heart surgery in January 2024 is now in the past and Gen. Smith has already made trips to The Pentagon.
He is now ready to help the Corps have its two top positions fully filled for the first time since July 2023. During his hospitalization, Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, served as the senior General within the Marine Corps headquarters, while Gen. Christopher Mahoney was made Assistant Commandant, days later.
Gen. Smith Disagrees With the Move to Guam
In December 2024, the Marines began moving from Okinawa to Guam as part of an agreement between the United States and Japan struck in 2012.
The move is to keep an American presence in the Pacific without interfering with the local communities of Japan's southern island prefecture.
However, Gen. Eric Smith isn’t a fan of the move and believes that it hinders Marines operating in the Pacific as a result.
“Frankly, Guam puts us going the wrong way. Guam puts us on the other side of the International Date Line, but it puts us a long way from the crisis theater, from the priority theater,” said Gen. Smith.
The Marine Corps Commandant also stood by the idea of maintaining a strong force in the area as a deterrent of potential combat rather than just a weakening response.
Conflicts in the Pacific continue to be on the radar of the U.S. military as tensions rise with China over Taiwan and other expansionist endeavors from Asia’s most powerful nation in the region.
He's Also Not a Fan of Beards
Cultures have been changing in the military as a whole. There are growing concerns about the ability to recruit new volunteers still lingering, despite recent success in 2024 and 2025.
However, even as the U.S. military looks to improve the quality of life for service members, one area the USMC isn’t looking to change is the ability to grow beards. A big reason for this is simply because Gen. Eric Smith said so.
Looking to separate Marines from other branches, Smith has made remarks suggesting a policy change was off of the table and would remain that way.
However, for those who have conditions, such as pseudofolliculitis barbae, medical waivers are available. The difference here for Smith is that exceptions in these instances are being provided for medical reasons, not aesthetics.
Speaking on the matter, Smith humorously commented on his plans to grow a beard while enjoying retirement, “I’m going to try one out, but I will be retired, so I won’t have to deal with a gas mask.”
How Did General Eric Smith Get His Purple Heart?
During his illustrious military career that spanned the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan, Gen. Eric Smith earned the Purple Heart among various other awards. This includes two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Bronze Stars, and a Legion of Merit.
Read next:
