Born in 1959, and a native of Burrillville, Rhode Island, Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981, was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1982, and graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School in 1985. While at USNA, Carter majored in Oceanography, lettered in ice hockey 4 years, and was Editor in Chief of the USNA satirical magazine, The LOG, from 1979 to 1981. He is a graduate of the Air War College intermediate course, as well as the Armed Forces Staff College. His career as a flight officer includes sea assignments in Fighter Squadron 161 on board USS Midway in Carrier Air Wing Five and in the VF-21 "Freelancers" on board USS Independence with Carrier Air Wing Fourteen. He commanded the VF-14 "Tophatters", and served as Executive Officer of USS Harry S. Truman, culminating in command of USS Camden and USS Carl Vinson. His subsequent Fleet-command assignment was Commander of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group / Carrier Strike Group Twelve during Big E's final deployment as a 51-year-old aircraft carrier. Carter accumulated 6,150 flight hours in the back seat of F-4, F-14, and F/A-18 aircraft during his career and safely accompanied pilots in 2,016 carrier-arrested landings, the record among all active and retired U.S. Naval Aviation designators. He also flew on 125 combat missions in support of joint operations in Bosnia, Kuwait, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Shore assignments include instructor duty in VF-124 "Gunslingers"; Chief of Staff for Fighter Wing Pacific; Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command; Chief of Staff for Joint Warfighting Center, United States Joint Forces Command; and Commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command where he also served as lead for the Transition Planning Team during the disestablishment of U.S. Joint Forces Command. Prior to becoming President of the Naval War College, Carter led Task Force RESILIENT as Director, 21st Century Sailor Office. He became the 54th President of the Naval War College on 2 July 2013. On 23 July 2014, Carter relieved Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller, becoming the 62nd Superintendent of the US Naval Academy. He was succeeded by Sean Buck on July 26, 2019.
