Meet the New Leaders: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carrey Switzer

Story and photo by Joel Diller, Public Affairs

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carrey Switzer, a native of Knotts Island, N.C., joined the Navy in 1997 as a fire controlman, and has served aboard several destroyers, cruisers and amphibious assault ships. In 2009, he was promoted to chief petty officer and continued serving as an instructor at Afloat Training Group Norfolk, where he trained and certified various platforms in Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection and Strike Warfare. In 2013, he served with Amphibious Squadron 4 as the N7/ N9 department’s leading chief petty officer and strike area coordinator. Upon commissioning as a warrant officer in 2015, he was assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) where he served as the systems test officer and assumed the responsibilities as a ships maintenance materials officer. He comes to Team Souda from Naval Support Activity Bahrain, where he was the officer-in-charge for Navy Munitions Command Atlantic Detachment Bahrain.

Why did you decide to join the Navy?

It’s kind of crazy. I had a job on the weekends where I was working in the cardboard manufacturing factory where one of my friend’s uncle was the plant manager. Once I graduated high school, we both got jobs there and I went straight into a job where I was making $85,000 a year, and that was pretty good back in 1990, so I didn’t really see a reason to go to college or do anything else. I liked what I was doing and I stayed there. Then in late 1996, the company sold out and I was like “man, what am I going to do? I’ve got to do something.” My grandfather was in the Navy, he was a boatswain’s mate master chief who did 48 years. My father retired at 29 years as a gunner’s mate – he was a chief. So, I grew up in the military life and knew what it was about, so I thought I might as well take the opportunity and see what it’s all about. I joined the Navy in late ’96, and in early ’97 is when I actually went to bootcamp with the delayed entry program.

What prepared you for your role here?

I would say the things that prepared me for this position is starting out as a fire controlman and being in the ordnance field like this. What really helped me along was I had some really great mentors throughout my career; some really phenomenal leadership guiding and steering me in the right direction. So, throughout my career I was afforded the opportunity not only to earn several FC Navy Enlisted Codes, I was also afforded the opportunity to earn several gunner’s mate NECs. Things like that really keyed me in on the ordnance-side of the house in dealing with ordnance and weapons and even a plethora of different weapons systems.

What is your role here?

My role here at NMC, besides trying to take care of my folks by making sure that they’re afforded all the opportunities they need to thrive and survive and progress and grow within themselves, is to also complete the mission and task of making sure that we’re meeting all the ordnance requirements for this theater.

What are you looking forward to most about being in Greece?

You know, I’ve been to Greece a couple different times, but it’s been on various platforms and we’d pull in to get fuel and then get right back underway. So, I had the opportunity to get down to the harbor area a couple of times on a couple different ships for a day or two, so I’ve gotten to see some of the sights. But I’d really like to check out the culture here and see the different things that Crete has to offer.