By Carol A. Taber
COLUMBIA, S.C. – 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 the Global War on Terror; and your activities in support of U.S. Army Special Forces, the Special Forces Association, and the special operations community.”
The Senate commendation is the second set of laurels for both men each of whom were named, “Honorary Green Beret,” by the state chapter of the Special 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 Eco Adventures – was recently named deputy commander of the S.C. State Guard. 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 world adventurer, having climbed Mt. Elbrus (Europe’s highest mountain) in July and Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest mountain) in 2010. Mullikin has chalked up multiple dives in five oceans (his most recent off Antarctica and in the Galapagos), and he has parachuted with members of several 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 the nuclear industry – is a technical consultant (films airing on The Military Channel), author, New York Times bestselling editor, and national director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team. A USC graduate and former adjunct professor, Smith is a veteran war correspondent (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 candidate Rick Santorum and a senior field-grade officer in the S.C. Military Dept.
The Special Forces Association’s annual national convention will be held 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.