Smith Relinquishes Command

Air Force Gen. Lance Smith on Nov. 9 turned over leadership of Joint Forces Command and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis. Smith formally retires in January after 38 years of service. At the change of command, Smith called the work of the members of the two commands “remarkable,” saying the commands had “struck a good balance” between support for current operations and preparation for future security needs. He called Mattis “exactly the right man for the job.”