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{{Short description|
{{For|other persons of the same name|Nick Carter (disambiguation){{!}}Nick Carter}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
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{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir Nicholas Carter
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|02|11|df=yes}}
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| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = [[British Army]]
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[General (United Kingdom)|General]]
| servicenumber = 505216
| unit =
| commands = [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] (
| battles = [[Bosnian War]]<br/>[[Kosovo War]]<br/>[[Iraq War]]<br/>[[War in Afghanistan (
| awards = [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Companion of the Distinguished Service Order]]<br/>[[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service]] (2)<br/>[[Legion of Merit|Commander of the Legion of Merit]] (United States)<br/>[[NATO Medal|NATO Meritorious Service Medal]] (NATO)
| alma_mater = [[Winchester College]]<br/>[[Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Louise Anne Ewart|1984}}
|
| laterwork =
}}
[[General (United Kingdom)|General]] '''Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|CBE|DSO
Carter was commissioned into the British Army in 1978. He served as commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, [[Royal Green Jackets]] in
Following a tour as Deputy Commander, [[International Security Assistance Force]],
==Military career==
===Early career===
Born in [[Nairobi]], [[British Kenya|Colony of Kenya]], the son of Gerald and Elspeth Carter, Carter was educated at [[Winchester College]] and the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]].<ref name=WW>{{cite web|title=CARTER, Gen. Sir Nicholas (Patrick)|work=[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who]]|date=2017|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U247442|access-date=15 March 2017|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He was [[Commissioned officer|commissioned]] into the [[Royal Green Jackets]] as [[second lieutenant]] on 8 April 1978, initially holding a short service commission.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47566 |supp=y|page=7138|date=12 June 1978}}</ref><ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/isaf/structure/bio/rc_s/carter.html|title=Major-General Nick Carter|publisher=ISAF|access-date=22 February 2010}}</ref> Promoted to [[lieutenant]] on 8 April 1980,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48170 |supp=y|page=6337|date=28 April 1980 |nolink=y}}</ref> he switched to a full career commission in 1982,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48865 |supp=y|page=796|date=18 January 1982 |nolink=y}}</ref> and was promoted to [[captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] on 8 October 1984.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=49897 |supp=y|page=13958|date=15 October 1984 |nolink=y}}</ref> As a junior officer he served in [[Northern Ireland]], [[Cyprus]], Germany and Great Britain.<ref name=WW/> Promoted to [[major (United Kingdom)|major]] on 30 September 1991,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52691 |supp=y|pages=16034–16035|date=21 October 1991 |nolink=y}}</ref> he attended [[Staff College, Camberley]] later that year before becoming a company commander with 3rd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets in 1992.<ref name=WW/> He became
Carter was promoted [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] on 30 June 1996.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=54453|pages=8911–8912|date=1 July 1996 |nolink=y}}</ref> 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.<ref name=bio/> For his service in Bosnia, he was awarded the [[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service]] on 7 May 1999.<ref name=":0">{{London Gazette|issue=55477 |supp=y|page=5083|date=6 May 1999 |nolink=y}}</ref> In Kosovo, Carter commanded a group of peacekeepers on a bridge over the [[Ibar (river)|River Ibar]] at [[Kosovska Mitrovica]] where he was tasked with keeping apart thousands of Serbs and Albanians gathered on either side of the bridge. Carter later described the role as being the "meat in the sandwich".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5058835.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103043634/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5058835.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2012|title=Mitrovica crisis must be solved 'in two weeks'|last=Whitaker|first=Raymond|date=23 February 2000|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=21 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/23/world/serbs-on-edge-after-a-rally-by-albanians-in-a-kosovo-city.html|title=Serbs on Edge After a Rally by Albanians in a Kosovo City|last=GALL|first=CARLOTTA|date=23 February 2000|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=21 February 2010}}</ref> He was advanced to [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] on 3 November 2000.<ref name=obe>{{London Gazette|issue=56017 |supp=y|page=12362|date=3 November 2000 |nolink=y}}</ref>
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Carter became Director-General Land Warfare early in 2011<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rusi.org/downloads/assets/Land_Warfare_2011_Conference_Programme.pdf|title=Land Warfare Conference Programme 2011|publisher=RUSI|access-date=3 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127040818/http://www.rusi.org/downloads/assets/Land_Warfare_2011_Conference_Programme.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2012}}</ref> and,
having been
Carter was appointed [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in the [[2014 New Year Honours]].<ref name=kcb>{{London Gazette|issue=60728 |supp=y|page=2|date=31 December 2013 |nolink=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268848/New_Year_Honours_2014_military_division_list.pdf |title=New Year Honours 2014 Military Division|publisher=UK Government|access-date=21 February 2014}}</ref> On 21 February 2014 it was announced that Carter would assume the post of [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the General Staff]].<ref name="New Chief of the General Staff appointed 21022014">{{cite web|title=New Chief of the General Staff appointed|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/news/26112.aspx|publisher=British Army|access-date=21 February 2014}}</ref> He took up his post and was promoted to full [[General (United Kingdom)|general]] on 5 September 2014.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60984 |supp=y|page=2|date=9 September 2014 |nolink=y}}</ref> As of 2015, Carter was paid a salary of between £170,000 and £174,999 by the department, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview|title=Senior officials 'high earners' salaries as at 30 September 2015 – GOV.UK|date=2015-12-17|website=gov.uk|access-date=2016-03-13}}</ref> Carter was awarded the US [[Legion of Merit]] on 18 March 2016 for services in Afghanistan.<ref name=":2">{{London Gazette|issue=61529 |supp=y|page=6084|date=18 March 2016 |nolink=y}}</ref>
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On 1 February 2013, he succeeded Sir Nick Parker as [[Colonel commandant|Colonel-Commandant]] of [[The Rifles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.devondorsetregiment.co.uk/news/1057/NEW+COLONEL+COMMANDANT+FOR+THE+RIFLES|title=NEW COLONEL COMMANDANT FOR THE RIFLES|publisher=The Regimental Association of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment|access-date= 9 March 2017}}</ref>
In January 2018 Carter used a speech in London to enter publicly into the debate over defence spending. According to Carter failure to keep up with Russia will leave the UK exposed, particularly to unorthodox, hybrid warfare. He also said that one of the biggest threats posed is from cyber-attacks that target both military and civilian life. Carter said: "Our ability to pre-empt or respond to threats will be eroded if we don't keep up with our adversaries."<ref>{{cite web|
[[File:RAF 100 chiefs.jpeg|thumb|right|Carter (right) with other service chiefs at the RAF 100 celebrations in 2018]]
In June 2018 Carter succeeded Air Chief Marshal [[Stuart Peach|Sir Stuart Peach]] as [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]].<ref>{{cite web|title=General Sir Nick Carter appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/general-sir-nick-carter-appointed-new-chief-of-the-defence-staff|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=28 March 2018|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/general-sir-nicholas-carter-appointed-head-of-military-11306867|title=General Sir Nicholas Carter appointed head of British armed forces|publisher=Sky News|date=28 March 2018|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue= 62321|page=10419|date=12 June 2018|supp=y}}</ref>
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Carter was appointed [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] (GCB) in the [[2019 Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62666|page=B2|supp=y|date=8 June 2019}}</ref>
In 2020, Carter was one of the senior public servants who took part in the Government's daily [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2|coronavirus]] briefings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Coronavirus: Social restrictions 'to remain for rest of year' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52389285 |date=22 April 2020 |website=BBC News}}</ref>
On 1 December 2021, Carter relinquished the appointment of [[aide-de-camp general]] to the Queen.<ref name="LG 7 December 2021">{{London Gazette |issue= 63548 |date= 7 December 2021 |page= 22144 |supp= y}}</ref>
===Criticism===
Carter has been criticised on several occasions by [[United States Army|American]] officers for his conduct and command while in Afghanistan. He was described by Colonel Harry Tunnell, former Brigade Commander of 5/2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, as displaying a "gross lack of concern for subordinates" throughout his command in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.<ref>{{cite news|title='British Army chief risked soldiers' lives,' says US colonel |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-army-chief-risked-soldiers-lives-says-us-colonel-8348397.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220619/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-army-chief-risked-soldiers-lives-says-us-colonel-8348397.html |archive-date=19 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|first1=Jonathan|last1=Owen|first2=Brian|last2=Brady|work=[[The Independent]]|date=25 November 2012|access-date=17 February 2015|location=London}}</ref> Further criticism came from Lieutenant General [[Daniel P. Bolger]], who claimed that "young riflemen paid the price" for Carter's "risk-averse" mentality and his unwillingness to allow his troops to defend themselves. Bolger also claimed that Carter refused to visit the front line and only visited safe positions by helicopter, while frequently refusing requests for aircraft and [[artillery]] support from troops under his command. Bolger further stated, "He's not the type of general I would put in charge of anything."<ref>{{cite news|title='British Army chief 'cost lives'|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1484372.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217213144/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1484372.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 February 2015|work=[[The Times]]|date=16 November 2014|location=London|access-date=17 February 2015|first1=Toby|last1=Harnden|first2=Mark|last2=Hookham}}</ref>
These allegations have been vigorously contested by other US officers and British colleagues. For instance, Lieutenant General [[Ben Hodges]] who commanded US Army Europe, and worked under Carter in Afghanistan, wrote to ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' stating that he was "appalled" by Bolger's representation of Carter.<ref name="thesundaytimes.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/comment/regulars/lettersandemails/article1486758.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404203312/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/comment/regulars/lettersandemails/article1486758.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2015|title=Letters and emails: 23 November – The Sunday Times|work=[[The Sunday Times]]|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref> The letter, jointly signed with another former subordinate of Carter, went on to observe that Carter's emphasis on avoiding civilian casualties had been crucial to mission success, that the soldiers under his command were never denied the right to defend themselves, and that Carter frequently exposed himself to personal danger by deploying forward to the key towns and villages at the heart of the counter-insurgency effort.<ref name="thesundaytimes.co.uk"/> Carter Malkasian, an author and [[Center for Naval Analyses|CNA]] analyst writing for ''[[The Washington Post]]'', said Bolger was "on thin ice" when criticizing those, like Carter, who "tried to protect innocents".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/book-review-why-we-lost-a-generals-account-of-two-wars-by-daniel-bolger/2015/01/02/0d8675d2-8081-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html|title=Book review: "Why We Lost," a general's account of two wars, by Daniel Bolger|work=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref>
Conversely, Tunnell's judgment whilst under Carter's command was the subject of criticism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2012/06/the_war_in_afghanistan_and_harry_tunnell_s_stryker_battalion.html|title=The war in Afghanistan and Harry Tunnell's Stryker battalion|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.thenewstribune.com/military/2012/06/27/we-lost-a-year-general-says-about-former-jblm-stryker-commander-col-harry-tunnell/|title="We lost a year" general says about former JBLM Stryker commander Col. Harry Tunnell|work=Tacoma News Tribune|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/let-s-kill-report-reveals-discipline-breakdown-in-kill-team-brigade-a-754952.html/ |title=Report blames lapses on Stryker commander|work=Army Times|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref> A formal US Army review of the conduct of Tunnell's brigade in Afghanistan pointed to its "lack of discipline" and "contempt for the normal Army rules".<ref name="spiegelonline,hamburg,germany">{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/let-s-kill-report-reveals-discipline-breakdown-in-kill-team-brigade-a-754952.html|title='Let's Kill': Report Reveals Discipline Breakdown in Kill Team Brigade|date=4 April 2011|work=[[Der Spiegel]]|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref> The report's author concluded: "Colonel Tunnell is no longer in command... If still in command, I would recommend that Colonel Tunnell be relieved of his responsibilities as a brigade commander."<ref name="spiegelonline,hamburg,germany"/>
==Personal life==
In 1984 Carter married Louise Anne Ewart; they have three sons and one daughter.<ref name=WW/> His interests include [[golf]], [[cricket]], field sports and cycling.<ref name=WW/> Carter was honoured ''[[Ad Portas]]'', being received formally by the whole school, at his alma mater, [[Winchester College]], in September 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last=Normand |first=Christopher |title=Winchester College: General Sir Nick Carter |url=https://www.winchestercollege.org/stories/ad-portas-for-General-Sir-Nick-Carter |publisher=Winchester College Society |access-date=6 October 2021}}</ref>
==See also==
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|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Stuart Peach|Sir Stuart Peach]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]|years=
{{s-aft|after=[[Tony Radakin|Sir Tony Radakin]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Chiefs of Defence Staff}}
{{Chief of the General Staff}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Iraq War]]
[[Category:Chiefs of the General Staff (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley]]
[[Category:Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal]]
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