Mobile native and Navy reservist served during the presidential inauguration
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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.'
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