James "Jim" J. Smith
Captain, US Army
Jim was a Mobile Advisory Team Leader for a Vietnamese Infantry Battalion in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, from June 1970-January 1971. Jim was an Instructor at the USARV Advisor School from February 1971-June 1971. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service in Vietnam. Jim was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended school in Omaha and graduated from Creighton University in 1967 with a B.A. in Philosophy. He was commissioned from the Creighton University Army ROTC program as a Second Lieutenant (Armor) in 1967. Prior to his service in Vietnam, he served in Germany as a platoon leader, Assistant Operations Officer and Adjutant in the 4th Cavalry Regiment. After his service in Vietnam, he entered Creighton University Law School and graduated with a J.D. in 1973. In 1974, he reentered the Army as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps. His assignments included service as a prosecutor and defense counsel with the 172d Infantry Brigade, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Staff Attorney, Criminal Law Division, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; Chief Prosecutor and Chief Civil Litigation Attorney, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate (Deputy Senior Legal Advisor), U.S. Army Field Artillery Center, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Staff Judge Advocate (Senior Legal Advisor), 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Chief Ethics Attorney, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; Executive and Special Counsel to the General Counsel of the Army, Pentagon; Staff Judge Advocate, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Washington; and Trial Judge in Korea and at Fort Bragg. After his military service, he worked as an environmental law attorney at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he taught at several colleges and universities, and was a Mediator and Hearing Officer for the State of Nebraska. Col. Smith's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (3 awards), Bronze Star (2 awards), Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards), Combat Infantryman Badge, and Parachutist Badge (with Bronze Service Star). Jim deployed with the 82d Airborne Division assault command post in Operation Just Cause (Panama, 20 December 1989); he is the only Staff Judge Advocate with a combat parachute jump. He also deployed with the 82d Airborne Division to Saudi Arabia and Iraq for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Jim is married to the former Carolyn Jean Miller and they have four daughters: Lisa, Jennifer, Rebecca and Katherine.
