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Lieutenant Colonel Carter’s Love of Aircraft—and Birds

Lt. Col. Tom Carter Blue Skies of Texas resident Retired Lt. Col. Thomas Carter is a man in motion. His sense of purpose originates from his 28 years in the United States Air Force where he oversaw aircraft maintenance training and aircraft maintainers in combat flying units.

A love of aircraft—and flyers

Growing up in Portsmouth, VA, Tom was familiar with the Navy life. His father served in the Navy, and his hometown of Cradock was a planned community developed in 1918 to support the work force at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. But Tom’s love of aircraft and his cousin’s influence led him to the Air Force. “I was in my high school’s marching band and liked the discipline,” Tom shared. So, he chose to attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, joining the VA Tech Corps of Cadets and Air Force ROTC program.