Major General Jerry Carter Nominated to be Marine Corps’ Next DCI

Major General Melvin “Jerry” Carter has been nominated to be promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned as the Marine Corps’ next Deputy Commandant for Information (DCI). If confirmed, Carter will be the fourth DCI since the position was established in 2017. Carter is currently NSA Cybersecurity Directorate’s Deputy Director for Combat Support, a position that is responsible for preventing and eliminating  threats to U.S. national security systems and critical infrastructure. The DCI develops and supervises plans, policies, and strategy for operating in the information environment and identifies requirements in doctrine, manpower, training, education, and equipment in order to support Marine Air Ground Task Force operations in the information environment.  

A native of York, Pennsylvania, Major General Carter enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1985. Commission as a second lieutenant in 1992, he was awarded the Signals Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Military Occupational Specialty before becoming a Marine Air Ground Task Force intelligence officer.  

During his military career, Major General Carter served in a variety of staff positions to include the S-3A, 2d Radio Battalion, II Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Intelligence Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, J2 Operations, CENTCOM/PACOM Branch Head, Joint Special Operations Command, S2-A, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operation Capable), G-2 Plans, I Marine Expeditionary Force, J3 Interagency Branch Head, Joint Special Operations Command, AC/S G2, II Marine Expeditionary Force, J2, Joint Special Operations Command.  

Additional assignments include duty as the Executive Officer for the Director, the Defense Intelligence Agency as well as the Executive Assistant for the Associate Director for Military Affairs, the Central Intelligence Agency.

Major General Carter’s principal command tours include the Commanding Officer, 2d Radio Battalion and the Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity.  Other career highlights include service as the Intelligence Officer/Platoon Commander for Marine Corps Special Operation Command, Detachment One, J2, Naval Special Warfare Task Group, Arabian Peninsula, J2, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, Arabian Peninsula and the Coalition J2, Special Operation Joint Task Force Afghanistan.  

From 2010 to 2011, Major General Carter served as the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ National Security Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and the Timothy T. Day Fellow at the Harvard Business School in 2016.   

MajGen Carter is married to the former Angela M. Clagette, FNP.  Angie and Jerry have two beautiful daughters, Briana and Erin.