Marine Corps general and author to be Barden lecturer

     Maj.Gen.Ray L. Smith, USMC (Ret.) will be the featured speaker at Campbell University’s Barden Forum, Monday, Mar. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hartness Lecture Hall of the Science building. Smith is the author of “The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the 1st Marine Division.” Free and open to the public, the lecture is sponsored by Campbell’s Department of Government, History and Justice.
     A native of Oklahoma, Smith enlisted in the Marine Corps in Dec. 1965 and graduated as the Platoon and Series Honorman at San Diego in 1966. He graduated from Officers Candidate School in 1967. He was also selected to participate in the Bootstrap Program in 1978. Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies in 1980 and his master’s degree in Military Science from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He also received a master’s degree in International Relations.
     A decorated war veteran, Smith’s duty assignments included two tours in Vietnam. He also led troops into Grenada and Beirut as the commander of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. In addition, his assignments included Japan and Korea. Smith ended his military career as commanding general of the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune N.C. He retired from the Marines in 1999. On his last day of active duty, Smith was a convocation speaker and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Campbell University.
     Smith currently serves as president of the board of directors of the Marine Corps Museum of the Carolinas and as a member of the board of Caring Communities. He has also served on the Jacksonville USO Executive Council and the board of directors of the Jacksonville-Onslow Area Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and received the Mack McKinney Award. In addition, he is a member of the North Carolina Advisory Commission on Military Affairs.
     For more information about the General Smith lecture, contact Vicki Crowell (910) 893-1480 or (800) 334-4111, ext.1480.