Walter Edward Carter Jr. (born November 4, 1959) is an American retired

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

vice admiral and

Naval Flight Officer A naval flight officer (NFO) is a commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps who specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots (naval aviators), but they may perform many "co-pilot" or ...

and current academic administrator who is the president of the

University of Nebraska System The University of Nebraska system is the public university system in the U.S. state of Nebraska. Founded in 1869 with one campus in Lincoln, the system has four university campuses and operates a two-year technical agriculture college and a hi ...

. Carter was confirmed by the university's board of regents as the eighth permanent president of the university on Dec. 5, 2019. He was the 62nd

superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank *Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator *Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...

of the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

and 54th president of the U.S. Naval War College.

Biography

Born in 1959, and a native of

Burrillville, Rhode Island Burrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,158 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized t ...

, Carter graduated from the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is ...

in 1981, was designated a naval flight officer in 1982, and graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in 1985. While at USNA, Carter majored in oceanography, lettered in ice hockey 4 years (team captain in 1981), 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 The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...

intermediate course, as well as the Armed Forces Staff College. His career as a flight officer includes sea assignments in Fighter Squadron 161 (VF-161) on board USS ''Midway'' (CVA-41) in

Carrier Air Wing Five Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier . It was initially formed in 1943. It has participated in the Second Wor ...

(CVW-5) and in the VF-21 "Freelancers" on board USS ''Independence'' (CV-62) with

Carrier Air Wing Fourteen Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14), was a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Mission To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination and integr ...

(CVW-14). He commanded the VF-14 "Tophatters", and served as Executive Officer of USS ''Harry S. Truman'' (CVN-75), culminating in command of USS ''Camden'' (AOE-2) and USS ''Carl Vinson'' (CVN-70). His subsequent fleet-command assignment was commander of the ''Enterprise'' Carrier Strike Group /

Carrier Strike Group Twelve Carrier Strike Group Twelve (CSG-12 or CARSTRKGRU 12) is one of four U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpow ...

(CSG-12) 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 The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twin-engine, supersonic, carrier-capable, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part ...

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 (N17). He became the 54th president of the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

on 2 July 2013. On 23 July 2014, Carter relieved Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller, becoming the 62nd superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. He was succeeded by Sean Buck on July 26, 2019. In January 2020, he was installed as the President of the

Awards and decorations

In 1999, Carter was awarded the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership. In 2008, Carter was appointed an Honorary Master Chief by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. In 2009, Carter received the U.S. Navy League's John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership. In 2014, Carter was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2015, Carter was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. In 2019, Carter received the USS MIDWAY's Patriot Award in honor of the 50th Anniversary of TOPGUN. In 2022, Carter received the U.S. Naval Academy’s Distinguished Graduate Award. He is one of the youngest graduates to receive the award since its inception.

References

Attribution

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Walter E. Living people People from Burrillville, Rhode Island United States Naval Academy alumni United States Naval Flight Officers United States Navy vice admirals Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership American aviation record holders 1959 births