UNITED States Marine Corps commandant General Eric Smith has been replaced following a medical emergency.

The situation occurred just weeks after he was appointed by the Senate.

Who is Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith?

Eric M. Smith is a United States Marine Corps general from Kansas City, Missouri.

A decorated soldier, he has been serving his country since 1987.

Over the years, Smith has commanded at every level and he was also part of a US Military Group that served in Caracas, Venezuela, according to his biography.

Online reports claim that he fought in multiple wars, including the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan.

In July 2023, Smith became the 39th commandant of the Marine Corps, a role that was later confirmed by the Senate on September 22, 2023.

At this time, additional information on the General’s personal life is unclear.

What happened to Eric Smith?

On October 29, 2023, Smith was hospitalized following a medical emergency.

Not much is known about the event but sources familiar with his condition told The New York Times that he had a heart attack while jogging.

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The incident occurred near Marine Barracks Washington, which is his official residence, the outlet notes.

A spokesman for the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department confirmed to The Times that first responders responded to “reports of cardiac arrest in the vicinity of G Street and Seventh Street SE,” but the department would not comment on the identity of the man that was treated.

“Witnesses said that they saw an adult male running, then walk down the street and stumble, falling face-first on the sidewalk,” Noah Gray, chief of communications for the department, told the outlet.

“At that time they called 911 and started chest compressions. Our crews arrived and provided CPR and transported the patient to a nearby hospital.”

Additional information on Smith’s condition is not clear at this time.

Who will take over for Eric Smith?

Smith will be hospitalized for an unknown amount of time, so in accordance with federal law, Lieutenant General Karsten Selby Heckl has been named in the interim.

Heckl is also a decorated soldier currently serving as the deputy commandant for combat development and integration and commanding general of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

A Georgia native, he has been serving his country since 1988.

Heckle will continue to perform the duties of commandant until Smith can return.