Nick Carter (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Major General Nicholas Patrick "Nick" Carter CBE DSO is a senior British Army
officer and formerly Commander of combined forces, including British
Forces, in Southern Afghanistan
.
as second lieutenant
on 8 April 1978, initially holding a short service commission. He was promoted lieutenant
on 8 April 1980, switched to a full career commission in 1982, promoted captain
on 8 October 1984, and major on 30 September 1991. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year Honours
.
Carter was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 30 June 1996. In 1998 he was appointed Commanding Officer
of 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets in which role he was deployed to Bosnia in 1998 and Kosovo
in 1999. For his service in Bosnia, he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
on 7 May 1999. In Kosovo, Carter commanded a group of peacekeepers on a bridge over the River Ibar at Mačvanska Mitrovica
where he was tasked with keeping apart thousands of Serbs and Albanians gathered either side of the bridge. Carter later described the role as being the "meat in the sandwich". He was promoted Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 3 November 2000.
. He was promoted brigadier
on 31 December 2003 (with seniority from 30 June), and in 2004 he was given command of 20th Armoured Brigade, commanding British forces in Basra
, at one point stating that British forces could be in Iraq for "as long as a decade". On 7 September 2004 he was awarded a further Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for his service in Iraq.
In 2006 he became Director of Army Resources and Plans at the Ministry of Defence
. In 2007 he was given the honorary appointment of Deputy Colonel of The Rifles
, (the successor regiment to the Royal Green Jackets) and held this post until 1 November 2009. On 23 January 2009 he was promoted major general and became General Officer Commanding
6th Division which has been deployed to Afghanistan
with Carter appointed as Commander ISAF
Regional Command South
. In September 2009, referring to the efforts of UK and NATO forces, Carter said that "time was not on our side". Carter returned to the UK in November 2010 after a year deployed. Upon his return, he gave an interview in which he warned that "the insurgency is resilient, and alive and well". Since then he has been Director-General Land Warfare. In March 2011 he was awarded the DSO
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and formerly Commander of combined forces, including British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Forces, in Southern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Military career
Carter was commissioned into the Royal Green JacketsRoyal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
as second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 8 April 1978, initially holding a short service commission. He was promoted lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 8 April 1980, switched to a full career commission in 1982, promoted captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 8 October 1984, and major on 30 September 1991. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
.
Carter was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 30 June 1996. In 1998 he was appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets in which role he was deployed to Bosnia in 1998 and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 1999. For his service in Bosnia, he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service is a British military award that recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations...
on 7 May 1999. In Kosovo, Carter commanded a group of peacekeepers on a bridge over the River Ibar at Mačvanska Mitrovica
Macvanska Mitrovica
Mačvanska Mitrovica is a town located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Srem District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
where he was tasked with keeping apart thousands of Serbs and Albanians gathered either side of the bridge. Carter later described the role as being the "meat in the sandwich". He was promoted Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 3 November 2000.
High command
Carter was promoted to colonel on 31 December 2000 (with seniority from 30 June), and to Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 29 April 2003, following service in the War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. He was promoted brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
on 31 December 2003 (with seniority from 30 June), and in 2004 he was given command of 20th Armoured Brigade, commanding British forces in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, at one point stating that British forces could be in Iraq for "as long as a decade". On 7 September 2004 he was awarded a further Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for his service in Iraq.
In 2006 he became Director of Army Resources and Plans at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. In 2007 he was given the honorary appointment of Deputy Colonel of The Rifles
The Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
, (the successor regiment to the Royal Green Jackets) and held this post until 1 November 2009. On 23 January 2009 he was promoted major general and became General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
6th Division which has been deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
with Carter appointed as Commander ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
Regional Command South
Regional Command South
Regional Command is a multinational military formation, part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. It is responsible for provincial reconstruction and security in Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Qalat and Tarin Kowt. The Command also has responsibility for the provinces of Nimruz...
. In September 2009, referring to the efforts of UK and NATO forces, Carter said that "time was not on our side". Carter returned to the UK in November 2010 after a year deployed. Upon his return, he gave an interview in which he warned that "the insurgency is resilient, and alive and well". Since then he has been Director-General Land Warfare. In March 2011 he was awarded the DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
.