Brigadier General Isabel Rivera Smith

Brigadier General Isabel Rivera Smith was the Director of Joint Staff for the New York National Guard. As Director of Joint Staff, she was responsible for coordinating operations and activities involving both the New York Army and Air National Guard, as well as the New York Naval Militia and New York Guard. She was also responsible for organizing the responses to weather emergencies as well as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. BG Smith first enlisted into the active Army in October of 1985 as a Motor Transport Operator. She was born and raised in Lorain, Ohio. Her parents, Andres and Isabel Rivera were members of Sacred Heart Chapel. BG Smith is one of five children. 

Her first duty station was Fort Bragg, North Carolina, assigned to Charlie Battery, 368 Air Defense Artillery (HAWK) Battalion. In 1988, she enlisted in the North Carolina Army National Guard; and in 1989, she transferred to the New York Army National Guard. In 1995, BG Smith was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps after graduating from Officer Candidate School. BG Smith’s command assignments and operational deployment include Commander of HHD, 53d Troop Command; Commander of the 369th Special Troops Battalion (STB); Deputy Team Chief - Iraq Police National Headquarters in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND), with her final command assignment as the Commanding General for the 53d Troop Command. BG Smith’s key staff assignments include Assistant Operations Officer at the 27th Rear Area Operations Center; Human Resource Officer for the 369th Corps Support Battalion; Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel; G1 for the 53d Troop Command; Executive Officer of the 106th Regional Training Institute (RTI); Deputy Director of Logistics (J4) for the New York National Guard; Executive Officer for the Office of the Adjutant General and Chief of Staff for the 53d Troop Command. 

BG Smith’s military education includes the Primary Leadership Development Course; the Basic NCO Course; the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course; the Combined Logistics Captain’s Career Course; the Command and General Staff Officers' Courses - Common Core Course and the Advanced Operations Course; the U.S. Army War College; the Joint Task Force Commander Training Course; the National Security Management Course at the University of Syracuse; and the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Senior Executives in National and International Security Course. 

Her awards include the Legion of Merit, The Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. BG Smith is also the recipient of the 2017 Latina Style Military Service Award. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Mount St. Mary’s College, a master’s degree in Education in Counseling and Development from Long Island University, and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. BG Smith and her husband Peter have seven children and nine grandchildren. She currently resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and she also has a home in Lorain, Ohio.