FILE - Acting Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith applauds during a relinquishment of office ceremony for U.S. Marine Corps Gen. David Berger on July 10, 2023, at the Marine Barracks in Washington. Smith, the commandant of the Marine Corps, had open heart surgery on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, and is now expected to return to full duty as the service's leader, the Corps said in a statement.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) FILE PHOTO
