Lt. Col. Jesse Carter assumed duties as Deputy District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District on June 1, 2024.
Carter comes to the district from the 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he served as the Operations and Executive Officer.
In 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Following Basic Training, he attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, where he qualified as a parachute rigger. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2010 from the University of North Georgia and holds a Master’s degree in Military Studies from the Command and General Staff College in 2021.
His operational assignments include the 307th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade and 307th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division located at Fort Liberty, North Carolina (2011-2014), where he served as a Sapper Platoon Leader, Route Clearance Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Assistant Operations Officer. He deployed once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2012-2013). Following the Engineer Officer's Advance Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was assigned as the Assistant Operations Officer and served as a Company Commander in the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade located at Vicenza, Italy. Following Company Command, he served as a Career Manager for the U.S. Army Engineer Branch at the U.S. Army Human Resource Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, providing individual career assistance for all U.S. Army Engineer lieutenants and captains. After completing the Command and General Staff College in 2021, he served as the Operations Officer for the 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
While serving as an Operations Officer, he deployed to Romania in support of Operation Assure, Deter, and Reinforce as a response to the ongoing effort to defend Europe against Russian aggression. Following redeployment, he transitioned to the Battalion Executive Officer under the 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion, serving until May 2024.
Lt. Col. Carter's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor and three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge and Senior Parachutist Badge Parachute Rigger Badge, Air Assault Badge, Combat Action Badge and the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal.