Executive Officer
Cmdr. Jason A. Carrier
Cmdr. Jason “KIA” Carrier is the son of a Navy Sailor and a native of Pascagoula, Mississippi. He graduated from Delta State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Commercial Aviation. He received his commission from Officer Candidate School in June 2007 and earned his wings as a Naval Flight Officer in March 2009. Following flight school, he reported to the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 on board Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia, where he qualified as a Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) in the F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft.
In December 2010, Carrier reported to the “Fighting Checkmates” of VFA-211. He completed back-to-back combat deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in 2011 and 2012. With VFA-211, he served as the legal officer, schedules officer, and weapons and tactics officer. Carrier also qualified as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) and Forward Air Controller (Airborne) (FAC(A)).
At the completion of his first operational tour, he was selected for instructor duty with VFA-106. Serving as the Transition Phase Head, Carrier was responsible for initial transition training to the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft in the Navy’s largest strike fighter squadron. In 2015, he reported to Naval Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 2 as the Deputy Fires Officer.
While attached to NSWG-2, Carrier qualified as a JTAC Instructor (JTAC-I ) and oversaw all JTAC training for the east coast SEAL Teams. Additionally, he was hand selected to serve as the Fires Officer for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Iraq in 2017. In this role, he coordinated all close air support assets for U.S. and Coalition special operations in Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve. Following this tour, Carrier was selected for the Fleet Scholar Education Program and attended Regent University earning a Master of Arts in National Security Studies.
In 2019, Carrier joined the “Black Aces” of VFA-41 for his Department Head tour. There, he served as the Safety Department Head, Administration Department Head, and Maintenance Department Head, while attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9.
After his Department Head tour, Carrier was selected as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow, working on Capitol Hill in the office of Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02). There, he oversaw the defense portfolio and coordinated the Congresswoman’s priorities for the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
In 2022, Carrier joined OPNAV staff as the N94 Air Warfare Science and Technology Resources Officer as well as the Director OPNAV N94’s Military Executive Assistant. In January 2024, Carrier was selected to lead the newly created N944 Navy Experimentation and Demonstration Branch, providing oversight and resources for the Navy’s experimentation activities.
Carrier now serves as the executive officer for VFA-103 as of September 2025.
Carrier has accumulated over 1,900 hours in the F/A-18F Super Hornet, 334 arrested landings, and has flown 37 combat missions. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Individual Air Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), and the Navy/Marine Corp Achievement Medal.