Rhinebeck resident Warren Smith named Deputy Commander for the New York Naval Militia
Latham, NY (04/12/2019) — New York Naval Militia Captain Warren Smith, A Rhinebeck resident, has been named the Deputy Commander for the 2,700 member New York Naval Militia.
Smith, an architect, has been the head of the Naval Militia's Northern Command since 2015.
The New York Naval Militia is a state force which is composed of members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reserve, who also agree to perform state training and state duty when called upon. The New York Naval Militia was first organized in 1891 and served as a naval version of the National Guard prior to the creation of the Navy Reserve.
Naval Militia members have responded to state weather emergencies, like Superstorm Sandy, and operate a fleet of ten patrol boats which operate on lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, the state's major lakes, the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and New York harbor.
Smith served on active duty with the Navy from 1981 to 1985, serving on destroyers and a guided missile cruiser.
He joined the Navy Reserve in 1985 and served in a number of positions to include reserve executive officer for the USS Oliver Hazard Perry, Joint Public Affairs Operations Officer for the United States Atlantic Command, and a Joint Staff Planner.
Smith joined the New York Naval Militia in 2004.
Smith holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in architecture from Yale University and owns the firm Warren Temple Smith Architects LLC in Rhinebeck.
Smith also serves on the Dutchess County Planning Board and is president of the Board of Directors of Hudson River Heritage.