NSWC IHD Commander Passes the Torch to His Successor
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Capt. Thomas Smith, II assumed command of NSWC IHD from Capt. Andrew
Buduo, III
Oct. 5, 2012, as the acting commanding officer.
Smith also commands the NSWC EODTECHDIV, also
located at Naval Support Facility Indian Head.
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Capt. Thomas B. Smith II assumed command of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian
Head Division (NSWC IHD) from Capt. Andrew Buduo III during a change of command
ceremony held at Indian Head, Md. on Oct. 5.
Rear Adm. Jim Shannon, Commander Naval Surface Warfare Center, and Naval Sea
System’s Command’s
Deputy Commander for Surface Warfare, thanked Buduo
for his service leading a warfare center for a second time, and commended him
for stepping in and making an immediate positive impact.
“The bottom
line is that he is a proven naval leader.” Shannon said of Buduo. “Once again,
he demonstrated his
innovation, operational experience, and highly effective leadership skills to
improve NSWC’s mission performance, cost effectiveness and the workplace
climate. During his almost three-year tenure, he led
the command to some remarkable new heights.”
Shannon also had high praise for Buduo’s replacement. “The Navy would not
be asking Captain Smith to take on the responsibility of serving as head of two
NAVSEA commands if he wasn’t up to the task,” said Shannon.
“He brings an extensive amount of EOD and operational experience to NSWC
and I look forward to his dynamic leadership in taking the Indian Head Team to
new heights.”
Smith, who is also the Commanding Officer of the Naval Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Technology Division (EODTECHDIV) at Naval Support Facility Indian Head,
took the helm of NSWC IHD as its acting commanding officer and said he looks
forward to leading the Navy’s second oldest warfare center.
“Indian Head has a proud 122-year history of innovating, serving the community
and delivering improved capability to our warfighters,” Smith said. “It is a
great pleasure to have the opportunity, surrounded by a great team of dedicated
scientists, engineers, technicians, plant operators and support personnel, to
build on this tradition. Our focus on energetics enables systems across the
interagency fly further and hit harder.”
Smith is a qualified Surface Warfare Officer, EOD Warfare Officer, Mixed Gas
Salvage Officer, Joint Specialty Officer, Naval Parachutist and Diver. His early
sea duty and overseas assignments included deployment to operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm as the Damage Control Assistant aboard the minesweeper
USS Adroit (MSO 509). He then transferred to another minesweeper, USS Exploit
(MSO 440), where he served as the first lieutenant and mine countermeasures
officer.
After graduating from EOD training, Smith reported to EOD Mobile Unit Five in
Agana, Guam, as the officer in charge of three mobile unit platoons that
operated off USS Independence (CV62) and USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) during
Operation United Shield. During his assignment in Guam, his unit supported Naval
Special Warfare operations and responded to hundreds of ordnance emergencies at
World War II battle sites on Guam and other Mariana Islands.
Following his tour of duty in Guam, Smith was assigned as the executive officer
(XO) of USS Shrike (MHC 62) in Ingleside, Texas. He then moved on to served as
the XO of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two in Norfolk, Va.
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Capt. Andy Buduo, NSWC IHD’s
commanding officer from Nov. 13, 2009 to Oct. 5,
2012, moves on to the Pentagon where he will
work in the Navy Combat Identification
Capabilities Organization.
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In 2002, Smith became the EOD Officer community manager. In 2004, he was
assigned to the Deputy Directorate for Antiterrorism and Homeland Defense under
the Chairman, Joint Chief’s Staff, where he served as a crisis action team chief
during hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and was a Domestic Emergency Support Team
member.
Following that assignment, he commanded EOD’s Training and Evaluation Unit Two,
ensuring Navy EOD Technicians were ready for combat operations. Prior to taking
command of EODTECHDIV in 2010, Smith served on the Navy staff as the Weapons and
Irregular Warfare section head.
Buduo, who took command of NSWC IHD on Nov. 13, 2009, thanked his team for their
dedication and hard work under his command, and for delivering vital support to
the Navy and other military forces.
“Indian Head Division has a well deserved reputation for supporting our
customers while providing research, development, test, evaluation and
manufacturing services for ordnance, energetic and weapon systems,” Buduo said.
“I am extremely proud and humble to have been part of an organization
that can say that, and consider myself lucky to have known each and every one of
you."
Buduo’s next assignment takes him to the Pentagon where he will work in the Navy
Combat Identification Capabilities Organization.