CDR Zachary T. Smith

Commanding Officer, USS Augusta (LCS 34)

10 March 2026 CDR Smith is a native of Austin, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin in December 2008. Shortly afterwards, he attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI and commissioned in August 2009. He attended the University of Houston and earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Science in 2016.  

At sea, CDR Smith first reported to USS Peleliu (LHA 5) as a Weapons and Engineering Division Officer, where he completed a Western Pacific deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He served aboard USS Shiloh (CG 67) as the Assistant Chief Engineer, where he completed theater BMD operations and a Seventh Fleet patrol with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group. As a Department Head, he served as the Chief Engineer aboard USS John Finn (DDG 113) and completed a Post Shakedown Availability and BMD test ship missions. He served as Chief Engineer aboard USS Anchorage (LPD 23) where he completed a CNO availability and amphibious operations to include Trident Warrior. He recently served as Executive Officer aboard USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in an extended maintenance availability.  

Ashore, he served at the Houston MEPS as the Operations Officer and oversaw 12,000 enlistments annually into the Armed Forces. He served at Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center as an anti-submarine/anti-surface Warfare Tactics Instructor where he completed three Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training events and developed new tactics. 

CDR Smith has been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with various unit, campaign, and service awards.