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CDR TED CARTER
Former Commanding Officer
Fighter Squadron Fourteen

Commander Walter E. (Ted) Carter, a native of Pascoag, Rhode Island, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1981 and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1982.

He reported to VF-171 in December, 1982 for F-4S Phantom II training at NAS Oceana, Virginia. During his replacement training he was selected "Top Crew" by the VF-171 instructors for excellence in Air Combat Maneuvering performance. CDR Carter reported to the VF-161 "ROCK RIVERS" onboard USS MIDWAY in Yokosuka, Japan in September, 1983. During this tour he completed three deployments to the Indian Ocean and graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in the last all-Phantom class in March 1985.

In July, 1986, CDR Carter reported to the VF-124 "GUNSLINGERS" at NAS Miramar, California for transition and instructor duty in the F-14A Tomcat. During this tour he was selected 1987 Instructor of the Year and in 1988 he was Naval Air Pacific’s Tailhooker of the Year for Naval Flight Officers. CDR Carter reported to the VF-21 "FREELANCERS" in October1989 completing the Desert Shield deployment aboard USS INDEPENDENCE. While on this tour, he served as Operations and Maintenance Officer. In October 1991, CDR Carter reported to Carrier Air Wing Five, home-ported at NAF Atsugi, Japan. As the Operations Officer for CAG-5, he completed another deployment on USS Independence during Operation "Desert Storm" and Operation "Southern Watch".

In March, 1993, he reported to U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida where he served as the Tomahawk Cruise Missile Planner and as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander-in-Chief. Following his Joint Duty tour, he returned to Miramar in September 1995 as the Chief of Staff Officer for Fighter Wing Pacific. After consolidation of the West Coast Fighter community in NAS Oceana and the disestablishment of Fighter Wing Pacific in January of 1997, CDR Carter joined the VF-14 "TOPHATTERS" as Executive Officer in July, 1997.

On November the 06th 1998 he assumed command of Fighter Squadron Fourteen. While in command of the Tophatters during their deployment aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in 1999, he lead the squadron in the successful completion of over 550 combat missions during the course of Operation "Allied Force" over Kosovo and while participating in Operation "Southern Watch" over Iraq. Also during that deployment, he was selected by the Chief of Naval Operations as the winner of the Atlantic Fleet Vice Admiral James Stockdale Award for inspirational leadership.

CDR Carter has accumulated over 5,000 hours in Navy fighters and 1,572 carrier-arrested landings. His personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Air Medal (two awards with combat distinction), Strike/Flight Air Medal (five awards),Navy Commendation Medal (six awards, two with combat distinction), and numerous other campaign and service awards.
His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards) and the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards).

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