President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Brigadier General James. B. Smith as Ambassador to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

June 5, 2009

WASHINGTON – On June 4, 2009 President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Brigadier General James B. Smith as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Brigadier General Smith (USAF, Ret.) is International Business Development Executive, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.  Previous assignments at Raytheon include Vice President of Government Business in Wichita, Kansas, and Vice President of Precision Engagement in Tucson, Arizona.  Prior to joining Raytheon, he was director of Navy C2 programs for Lockheed Martin Mission Systems.  Gen. Smith served as deputy commander at the Joint Warfighting Center of the U.S. Joint Forces Command in Suffolk, Virginia, where he was responsible for managing the joint force exercise and training development program. General Smith’s distinguished aviation career includes combat sorties during Desert Storm. He commanded the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron and 325th Operations Group. He served as the CSAF chair at the National War College and as Vice Director of Operations for the North American Air Defense Command. Gen. Smith previously served as commander of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Japan. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in military history from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a Master’s degree in history from Indiana University. Gen. Smith is a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College, the Air Command and Staff College and the National War College.