Martin Smith (Royal Marines officer)

Martin Smith
Major General Smith in 2014
Born	(1962-07-30) 30 July 1962 (age 55)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Marines
Years of service	1984 – present
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Commandant General Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group
Battles/wars	The Troubles Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Member of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath

Major General Martin Linn Smith, CB, MBE (born 30 July 1962) is a senior Royal Marines officer and who served as Commandant General Royal Marines. He was previously commander of 3 Commando Brigade, and before that Commanding Officer of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group and Deputy Commander of 3 Commando Brigade.

Smith was born in 1962. He studied zoology at the University of Bristol.

Smith was commissioned into the Royal Marines in May 1984. During his early career, he served as a troop commander, a forward air controller, a mortar troop commander and a special forces officer in the Special Boat Service. He completed postings to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, and to Norway. He went on to specialise in reconnaissance and was deployed as part of the Gulf War in 1991.

In 1995, he attended the Royal Navy Staff Course and completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree in defence studies. From 1996 to 1997, he served as a staff officer specialising in operations. He then joined Headquarters Royal Marines where he served as Staff Officer to the Chief of Staff. In the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). From 2000 to 2001, he worked at the Permanent Joint Headquarters within its Operations Division.