Mullikin and Smith receive Senate commendations for honorary titles
October 22, 2012
By Carol A. Taber
October 20, 2012
COLUMBIA, SC – State Senator Michael L. Fair (R–Greenville)formally commended attorney Thomas S. Mullikin and military analyst W.Thomas Smith Jr. for having received the title, Honorary Green Beret,by the U.S. Army Special Forces Association (Chapter XXXIV).
According to the senator’s commendations, presented Oct. 18, 2012,This honor is indicative of your years of honorable military service,your military and civilian leadership in defense of our nation in theGlobal War on Terror; and your activities in support of U.S. ArmySpecial Forces, the Special Forces Association, and the specialoperations community.
The Senate commendation is the second set of laurels for both men eachof whom were named, Honorary Green Beret, by the state chapter of theSpecial Forces Association, Sept. 28.
Both Mullikin and Smith have extensive military – and military related civilian-professional – backgrounds.
Mullikin – founder and pres. of the Mullikin Law Firm and Global EcoAdventures – was recently named deputy commander of the S.C. StateGuard. Mullikin is a former U.S. Army JAG lawyer (USAR) and was attached as an international legal officer to a Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) within the U.S. Special Operations Command. He is a noted worldadventurer, having climbed Mt. Elbrus (Europe’s highest mountain) inJuly and Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest mountain) in 2010. Mullikinhas chalked up multiple dives in five oceans (his most recent offAntarctica and in the Galapagos), and he has parachuted with members ofseveral foreign airborne forces. An author, film producer, and lecturer; Mullikin is executive in residence at Coastal Carolina University.
Smith – a former U.S. Marine rifle-squad (infantry) leader,parachutist, counterterrorism instructor, and SWAT team officer in thenuclear industry – is a technical consultant (films airing on TheMilitary Channel), author, New York Times bestselling editor, andnational director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team. A USCgraduate and former adjunct professor, Smith is a veteran warcorrespondent (embedded with British contract security forces, U.S.Marine expeditionary units, a regimental combat team, U.S. Army cavalry, others), a former national security advisor for presidential candidateRick Santorum and a senior field-grade officer in the S.C. MilitaryDept.
The Special Forces Association’s annual national convention will beheld in S.C. (hosted by the cities of Columbia and Charleston) in 2014.
– Carol A. Taber, pres. of Family Security Matters (familysecuritymatters.org), is the former publisher of several national magazines including Working Woman, Working Mother and Success.
