Elk City Native Promoted to Colonel

October 4, 2023

By Landry Brewer

John Paul Smith has risen to rare heights while serving his country.

The 1991 Elk City High School graduate was recently promoted to the rank of full Colonel in the United States Army.

Smith’s promotion was effective October 1, though a public ceremony will be held October 5 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

“Full Colonel is a rank I never thought I would achieve,” Smith said.

Only about 2% of active-duty Army soldiers become a Colonel.

Smith started as a private when he joined 29 years ago, and he’s risen the roughly 20 military ranks to full Colonel.

This required completing Officer Basic and Advance Courses, earning a master’s degree, serving as an officer for more than 22 years, attending numerous advanced-level military schools, demonstrating the potential for senior, executive, and strategic-level responsibilities, and receiving exceptional annual evaluations. Finally, Smith had to be selected among his peers by a board of strategic-level personnel that assessed the strength of his complete military record.

After graduating from Chaminade University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Smith earned two master’s degrees from the Assemblies of God Theological seminary in Springfield, Missouri, then a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University.

Last June, he also graduated from the U.S. Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies.

“Not only is this promotion important to me, but it’s important to my family,” Smith said. “It’s because of their constant encouragement and support that I’m able to serve at this next level of leadership.”

A Chaplain, Smith is stationed at the United States Army Japan, Camp Zama, Japan, just outside of Tokyo. This assignment as Command Chaplain could last up to three years.