Carter F. Ham
General, U.S. Army

Carter F. Ham was born on 16 February 1952 in Portland, OR. Ham served as an enlisted Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division before attending John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. As a Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) in the Infantry in 1976. He later received his Master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. He also graduated from several military schools and courses, including the Infantry Officer Basic Course; the Armor Officer Advanced Course; the College of Naval Command and Staff of the U.S. Naval War College; and the U.S. Air Force Air War College. He is a member of the John Carroll University ROTC Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Christi, are both John Carroll University graduates.

Ham's early assignments included service at Fort Knox, KY, and tours of duty in Italy and Germany. After graduating from the Armor Officers Advanced Course, he was a Recruiting Area Commander in Lima, OH. In 1984, he served with a joint service unit in support of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

From 1984-89, Ham served as Assistant Inspector General, then as Battalion S-3 and Executive Officer with the Opposing Force at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA. He attended the College of Naval Command and Staff, graduating with distinction in 1990, and was then assigned to the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA.

He served a tour as an advisor with a Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade in Riyadh, then returned to Fort Benning, where he was the Executive Officer for the Infantry School. Ham commanded the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry in Vilseck, Germany, including a six-month tour with the United Nations Protection Forces in the Republic of Macedonia. Following battalion command, he was the Senior Observer/Controller of the Timberwolf Team at the Combat Maneuver Training Center, Hohenfels, Germany.

He graduated from the Air War College in 1997 then returned to Germany where he served as G-3, then Chief of Staff, 1st Infantry Division. From 1999-2001 he commanded the 29th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning, then served as Deputy Director, J-8, U.S. Central Command in Tampa, FL and Qatar. Ham was assigned as the Deputy Commanding General for Training and Readiness, I Corps at Fort Lewis, WA, in August 2003. In January 2004, he assumed Command of Multinational Brigade (Task Force Olympia) - North in Mosul, Iraq, serving there until February 2005. During his time in Iraq, General Ham suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, caused from attending the aftermath of a suicide bombing. He later sought treatment for his condition and publicly encouraged other soldiers to do the same.

Returning from Iraq, Ham served as the Deputy Director for Regional Operations, J-3, on the Joint Staff. Ham assumed Command of the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS, in August 2006 and served as the Commanding General until July 2007, returning to the Joint Staff as Director for Operations, J-3. On 28 August 2008, he became the 34th Commander of the U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, headquartered at Campbell Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany.

The U.S. Senate, in November 2010, confirmed Ham's nomination to become the next (current) Commander of U.S. Africa Command, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. He assumed the post on 8 March 2011 and was Africa Command's second commander.

As Commander of U.S. Africa Command, Ham commands the U.S. forces enforcing the Libyan no-fly zone, along with Admiral Samuel J. Locklear. Described as "in charge of the coalition effort," Ham on 21 March 2011 said "there would be coalition airstrikes on Colonel Qaddafi's mobile air defenses and that some 80 sorties - only half of them by the U.S. - had been flown on Monday." Admiral Locklear, aboard the flagship USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), has tactical command of the Operation Odyssey Dawn joint taskforce. "General Ham also said he had "full authority" to attack the regime's forces if they refused to comply with President Obama's demands that they pull back from Ajdabiya, Misurata and Zawiya," according to one report. Earlier, he said that the U.S. was not working with the Libyan rebels. "Our mission is not to support any opposition forces," Ham said by video feed to the Pentagon from his headquarters in Stuttgart.

After a normal 24-month tour of duty as Commander, U.S. Africa Command, General Ham was succeeded by General David M. Rodriguez.

General Ham retired from the Army in June 2013.

Medals, Awards, Badges and Tabs

Army Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Legion of Merit with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Achievement Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Service Star
Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Service Stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon with Award Numeral "3"
United Nations Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Superior Unit Award with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Combat Action Badge
Parachutist Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
United States Africa Command Badge
I Corps Combat Service Identification Badge
Ranger Tab

He also received the Polish Army Medal in Gold (Poland)