CDR Riley W. Smith is a native of Red Oak, IA. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Minor in History. Smith was commissioned an Ensign in the Civil Engineer Corps through Officer Candidate School in December 2004. He received a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington in 2015; a Cyber Security Fundamentals Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2018; and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2022.
After completing Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officer School (CECOS) in Port Hueneme, CA, then-ENS Smith served as Assistant Resident Officer-in-Charge of Construction, ROICC East Pennsylvania Area and Construction Manager, Public Works Department Pennsylvania. In 2007 LTJG Smith joined U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE THIRTY-THREE, homeported in Gulfport, MS. He deployed with the Runnin’ Roos to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait as Assistant Operations Officer and to the Republic of Palau as Officer-in-Charge of Civic Action Team (CAT) 133-24.
Beginning in 2009, LT Smith served as the Naval Construction Force (NCF) Operations Officer for Naval Expeditionary Task Force Europe and Africa (TF 68) based in Rota, Spain. From 2011-2013 LT Smith was the Basic Course Director for CECOS in Port Hueneme, CA. After attending graduate school, LCDR Smith was assigned from 2015-2017 as the Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Director for Public Works Department Annapolis. LCDR Smith also served as the Acting Supervisory Contract Specialist from 2016-2017. LCDR Smith was the Public Works Officer for Singapore Area Coordinator from 2017-2020. From 2020-2022
CDR Smith was the Deputy Force Engineer for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, where he was proud to support Operation ALLIES REFUGE in August 2021 and in August of 2022, he reported to Naval Support Activity Bahrain as the Public Works Officer. CDR Smith joined Officer in Charge of Construction, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in August of 2025, assuming the duties of Executive Officer.
CDR Smith is Seabee Combat Warfare-qualified, a Master Training Specialist, an Acquisition Professional Member, and a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina. He completed Joint Professional Military Education Level I and achieved Public Works Certification Level III. He is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certified in Acquisition and Level III certified in Facilities Engineering. His military decorations include various unit and personal awards.
Last Updated: 4 June 2026