Chief Petty Officer Daniel Carter

Tell us who you are and what you do

My name’s Chief Petty Officer Daniel Carter of the Royal Australian Navy, and I am a Steward, like a hospitality manager, I look after catering.

Have you ever been deployed?

I’ve been deployed currently on five Navy ships, throughout my naval career, during my time on the vessels I served during East Timor and also peacekeeping missions in the Middle East back in 2001.

Describe what you would do on a day-to-day basis

During the Middle Eastern operations we were tasked to embargo any Iraqi vessels smuggling crude oil. During my days I managed looking after the commanding officer on board and I also was detailed as part of a security team that would… once a vessel was boarded and sieged a security party would then embark the vessel and then proceed to a holding pen within the region until authorities detailed what they would do with the vessel afterwards.

How did your family cope during your period of deployment?

I’m one of the lucky ones, I actually married a Naval girl who’s also been deployed on seagoing units and operations, she understands fully what goes on. In regards to my little boy, the hardest thing is to explain to him that I’m out there fighting pirates and trying to turn the picture around so he understands the importance in a different aspect, knowing that his dad is out there protecting him and his country.