Mobile native and Navy reservist served during the presidential inauguration
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Watch airman's surprise photobomb bring younger brother to happy tears
Easton Gunsell, 13, of Flushing, Michigan was stunned when his airman big brother surprised him by photobombing a family picture after a year away.
USA TODAY
Intelligence Specialist Third Class Charles J. Cartee, Jr., a Mobile, Ala. native and Navy reservist who drills out of Navy Reserve Center Gulfport, never thought when he joined the Navy Reserve that he might be shaking the hand of the future president of the United States. This is one of the many highlights of an early career in the Navy Reserve of this Intelligence Analyst who serves onboard the Twenty Second Naval Construction Regiment in Gulfport, Mississippi.
A 2019 graduate of Alma Bryant High School, he initially entered military service when he joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman in combat deployments to Iraq and Syria. Desiring to attend college under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, he separated from active duty and joined the Navy Reserve in 2022. He graduated from Intelligence Specialist 'A' School in 2023 and now is scheduled to begin pursuing a degree in aeronautical engineering at Embry Riddle University in July 2025.
Cartee grew up in a rural area near Irvington, Alabama and understood the value of hard work and persistence in achieving his goals. Noting that he had several family members who had served in the military, he felt it was his responsibility to carry on his family's tradition and serve as a role model to his younger brothers.
These values have inspired big dreams for Cartee, who currently works in his civilian capacity as a hydraulics technician for the Airbus Aerospace Company manufacturing facility in Mobile. In the future, he desires to earn his commercial pilot's license, and he views the military as a feasible conduit for achieving the training and qualifications necessary to achieve what would normally be a very expensive endeavor to achieve in the civilian world.
'I have wanted to fly aircraft since I was 12 years old, though I have earned a private license through my owns means. The several additional licenses necessary to fly commercially are incredibly expensive,' Cartee said. 'That is always something that has been out of my reach, but after I got my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, I was able to fully pay for everything to make my dream attainable.'
Cartee's most recent assignment was in support of the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Navy Liaison Team in Washington, D.C. He served on the executive driving detail and was responsible for escorting Very Important Persons (VIPs) to various inauguration events. During one of the pre-inauguration events, a wreath laying ceremony, he had the opportunity to meet and speak with the future Secretary of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth, and he even had the opportunity to shake hands with President Donald Trump.
This unique and star-studded experience was one of several accomplishments of a short but consequential Navy Reserve career. His previous experience as an Infantry Team Leader in 190 combat missions prepared him to understand the warfighter's perspective and has made him a top-quality intelligence specialist.
Reflecting on his proudest achievement, Cartee discusses his critical support to the Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 133 Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Integrated Exercise (NIEX) as the only intelligence specialist. Having taken the orders on short notice, he prepared over 20 intelligence products from scratch, produced an Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for a graded evolution, and provided 15 briefs to the unit's senior leadership and assessors with poise and confidence.
Cartee is grateful for the mentors who shaped him as a young man in his hometown, especially Chief Warrant Officer Three (Retired) Adam Bryant, who was Cartee's high school instructor. He motivated him to consider the military and its abundant opportunities for upward mobility for those who choose to serve.
Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve and commander, Navy Reserve Force, highlights the importance of Reserve Sailors like Cartee as warfighters when she said, 'Our Sailors, operational units, and readiness units of action are our weapons system. We are prepared for the mission, ready to fight and win decisively on Day One.'
Cartee's service in both the Army and the Navy Reserve testify to the degree of readiness expected of a citizen Sailor. He explained, 'We have a famous saying in the Army, that a Soldier (or Sailor) should be prepared to go to war in 72 hours. This mindset is still applicable to me, in that if I were told to have my things packed by Monday for deployment, I would have no objections. I signed up as an intelligence specialist so if I am needed tomorrow, I am needed tomorrow. I took an oath for a reason.'
Cartee's story is an excellent example of a citizen Sailor's passion for serving his country while balancing the demands of a civilian career and future educational aspirations. On inspiring others by his example, he said, 'The world is your oyster, you just have to crack it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Asian Headlines at 7:52 a.m. GMT
Navy ships and helicopters used in intensified search for 30 missing after Indonesian ferry sinks
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Photos Show US Navy's Double Aircraft Carrier Operations in Atlantic
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States recently deployed two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, USS Gerald R. Ford and USS George H.W. Bush, in the Atlantic following a similar operation by China in the Pacific as both countries compete for naval dominance across the world. Why It Matters While the U.S. Navy possesses the largest fleet of aircraft carriers in the world—with 11 vessels in service—China operates more than 370 ships and submarines, including two aircraft carriers in active service, making it the world's largest navy by hull count, according to the Pentagon. Last month, the Chinese navy simultaneously deployed its aircraft carriers—CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong—in the broader western Pacific. This came as one of the two American aircraft carriers operating in the region, USS Nimitz, was redeployed to the Middle East. What To Know According to a set of photos released by the U.S. Navy on Wednesday, the Gerald R. Ford and the George H.W. Bush were seen operating side by side on June 27 at an undisclosed location in the Atlantic, where they conducted resupply operations and ammunition transfers. The United States aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford, left, and USS George H.W. Bush, right, conducting resupply operations while underway in the Atlantic Ocean on June 27. The United States aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford, left, and USS George H.W. Bush, right, conducting resupply operations while underway in the Atlantic Ocean on June 27. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky/U.S. Navy The Gerald R. Ford departed Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on June 24 for a "regularly scheduled deployment" to the U.S. European Command, forming a strike group with five destroyers to support economic prosperity, national security and defense, the Navy said. Photos taken by ship spotters show that the George H.W. Bush departed Naval Station Norfolk on June 10 and returned on Tuesday. While underway in the Atlantic, the aircraft carrier conducted "Tailored Ship's Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problem," the Navy said. The training—referred to as TSTA/FEP—is designed to build crew operating proficiency and to enhance the ship's ability to self-train, according to the Navy. It prepares the ship and crew for integration into a strike group through a wide range of mission-critical operations. The Gerald R. Ford, commissioned in 2017 and becoming operational four years later, is the lead ship of the next generation of the U.S.'s aircraft carriers. The George H.W. Bush is one of 10 vessels in the older Nimitz-class, which entered service between 1975 and 2009. As the successor to the Nimitz class, the Gerald R. Ford-class features design improvements, including the ability to launch more aircraft and generate more electrical power for shipboard systems. The Navy plans to procure six new aircraft carriers, including the lead ship itself. The United States aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford, front, and USS George H.W. Bush conducting ammunition transfers while underway in the Atlantic Ocean on June 27. The United States aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford, front, and USS George H.W. Bush conducting ammunition transfers while underway in the Atlantic Ocean on June 27. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky/U.S. Navy Meanwhile, China is testing its most advanced aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, which features electromagnetic catapults for launching aircraft, similar to those on the Gerald R. Ford. The Pentagon previously assessed that the Fujian would be operational in the first half of 2025. What People Are Saying The U.S. Second Fleet announced on June 24: "The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group provides combatant commanders and America's civilian leaders increased capacity to underpin American security and economic prosperity, deter adversaries, and project power on a global scale through sustained operations at sea." The U.S. Navy said in a fact sheet last updated on February 27: "Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against U.S. interests. Aircraft carriers support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea and engage in sustained power projection operations in support of U.S. and coalition forces." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will deploy a second aircraft carrier to the western Pacific to reinforce its naval presence as China's navy continues to expand its operations.
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
US military's attempt to retain strategic land for training runs into Native Hawaiian opposition
HONOLULU (AP) — A high-altitude plateau on the Big Island is the only place in Hawaii where thousands of ground forces can practice firing live munitions. It's also a place many Native Hawaiians consider the spiritual heart of the island. The U.S. military wants to keep training at this spot, called Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. Its importance to the U.S. is only growing as China becomes more assertive, particularly regarding Taiwan. But the Army's lease for state lands beneath a key part of the training range expires in 2029. Native Hawaiians upset with the U.S. military's history of damaging Hawaiian lands with target practice and fuel leaks want the Army out. 'They have bombed and contaminated not just our land but our waters,' said Healani Sonoda-Pale, a community organizer with the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawaii. 'When does this end?' A problematic history The military controls about 5% of Hawaii's land, including bases for all branches. It has programs and staff to protect endangered and threatened species, prevent fires, and plant native plants. But past incidents have made many Native Hawaiians skeptical. The Navy turned the island of Kahoolawe, off Maui, into a bombing range after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy returned it in 1994 after years of protests. But subsequent cleanup efforts have been incomplete. Live grenades and bombs remain scattered across a quarter of the island. Memories are still fresh from when the Navy spilled jet fuel into Pearl Harbor's drinking water from a network of underground fuel storage tanks and pipes in 2021. The leak prompted 6,000 people to seek medical care for rashes, nausea and other ailments and contaminated a Honolulu aquifer. The disaster occurred after admirals spent years dismissing community calls to move the tanks. On Tuesday, Honolulu's water utility sued the Navy seeking to recoup an estimated $1.2 billion that it has had to spend because of the spill. Also on Oahu, environmental advocates say Army live-fire training in Makua Valley sparked wildfires and destroyed native forestland and sacred cultural sites. A legal settlement stopped such training in 2004. The cultural significance of Pohakuloa Pohakuloa consists of rocky plains, hills and brush about 6,200 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level between the Big Island's tallest volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It hosts endangered species including the Hawaiian catchfly shrub. Early Hawaiians ventured across the plateau to reach a Mauna Kea quarry that produced high-quality basalt for stone tools and to travel between coastal towns. In 2022, Army staff discovered ancient wooden 'kii,' or figures, in a lava tube, an underground passageway created by molten rock. Consultants said the figures are from human burials, and state preservationists say they're among Hawaii's most significant archaeological finds. Pohakuloa Training Area spans more than 200 square miles (518 square kilometers). The section in question is only 17% of that total, but it's critically located in between two larger federal parcels. Troops fire munitions from the state-owned parcel onto federal lands. The land's importance for training and deterrence Other live-fire training areas in Hawaii are too small to accommodate battalions and brigades. Commanders say it would take too long to send troops, trucks and helicopters to the U.S. mainland for drills. 'What we anticipate in a future fight is that we will not have the time to recover that equipment and to position ourselves back into the region,' said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, U.S. Army Pacific chief of staff. Pohakuloa training, he said, allows troops to "move from Hawaii into the Indo-Pacific, into key terrain, to be prepared to meet our adversaries, or more importantly, to deter them.' The Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force exercise there, as do allied and partner militaries. The Hawaii National Guard accounts for one-quarter of Pohakuloa's training. County fire and police departments use it too. Negotiations to exchange land The Army prepared an environmental impact statement, including public feedback, that analyzed how the military's continued use of the land would affect plants, animals and cultural heritage. On May 9, the state land board rejected it after hearing hours of often emotional testimony in opposition. Among other issues, the board cited inadequate inventory of unexploded ordnance and insufficient inventory of ancient burials and associated artifacts. The Army is considering whether to appeal. It could also negotiate a land exchange with the state instead. Such talks can't begin until the Army finalizes its environmental study with a decision about its plans. The defense secretary's office then must sign off on acquiring land. Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific's program manager for training land retention, said the service has had some informal conversations, including trying to understand the state's swap criteria. Buying the land would be a 'a big hurdle,' for the Army, she said, because two-thirds of the state House and Senate would need to approve such a transaction. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat, said the Army must double down on being good stewards and make up for the military's past mistakes. Tokuda wants the military to help increase Hawaii's housing supply, given that service members occupy 14% of Oahu's housing stock and that high housing costs are driving residents out. She said it could bolster Hawaii's water and sewer infrastructure. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green suggested in an interview with Hawaii News Now that the military could take the land through eminent domain, but Tokuda said she hasn't heard anyone in the military or President Donald Trump's administration mention that. A call for a cleanup Kaialiʻi Kahele, the chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which advocates for Native Hawaiians, wants to see what federal lands the Army would offer. He wants to know whether it would be willing to reduce the impact of its training, and what sort of clean up and community benefits it would provide. 'We have to get to a point where you do training and then you clean up your mess,' said Kahele, a former congressman who served more than 20 years in the Hawaii Air National Guard and is now in the Air Force Reserve.
