Carter was born June 2, 1987, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He was a member of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from 2006 to 2011, having attended the USMC Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy. During his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, Carter completed tours in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. His unit, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, was also one of the first to respond to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.