SDSU a Game Changer for Naval Captain, Alumnus

“Be curious, not judgmental.”

This is the motto that San Diego State University alumnus and  (‘99) lives by. One may recognize the quote from the hit show “Ted Lasso,” but to Carlson, it is much more than that.

Being curious is what initially led Carlson to enlist in the Navy in 1989, but almost a decade later his curiosity would take him to SDSU.

The structure, opportunities, and meritocratic environment of the Navy appealed to Carlson. From there, he worked hard at his education and worked his way up in the naval ranks.

Later, Carlson was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program, which offers the opportunity for enlisted service members to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree and then become commissioned as an officer in the Navy.

Beating out thousands of other applications, Carlson had the choice of attending SDSU, the University of Southern California or the University of New Mexico. But having spent some of his childhood in San Diego and meeting and marrying his wife in the city, Carlson knew SDSU was the correct choice.

“I was almost 30 when I started my junior year at SDSU, and while I felt old amongst all the younger students, they never made me feel that way,” he said.

Carlson majored in history, and while he may have been older than most of his classmates, his fondest memories include hanging out on the Main Quad after class with his peers and conversing about school and life.

In 1999, the once high school dropout would graduate magna cum laude with honors and walk away with much more than a bachelor’s degree, but learning the importance that logic, critical thinking, and reasoning play in his career.

“SDSU really helped me develop and refine those cognitive thinking skills that have enabled my success,” Carlson said.
 

Growing responsibilities

Becoming an officer was a game changer for Carlson. After graduating from SDSU, being enlisted, and running a division of 25 people, Carlson went on to oversee more than 100 sailors. From there, his positions would only become more immense.

Carlson became commanding officer of an Aegis destroyer, in charge of over 300 sailors. Most recently, Carlson was commanding officer of Naval Base San Diego, homeport to the Pacific Fleet, and was in charge of several thousand sailors and civilians.

“The doors that were opened by the Enlisted Commissioning Program have been many, and I have been truly blessed,” he said.

As commanding officer Carlson oversaw the police department, fire department, public works department, operations department, administration department, housing, and Morale-Welfare and Recreation departments and worked closely with the surrounding communities of Barrio Logan and National City.

“It was the greatest job I have had in the Navy,” he said.

Now for his next role, Carlson will be leaving San Diego for another sunny destination. In Hawaii, Carlson will serve as chief of staff for the Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, the regional coordinator for all shore-based naval personnel and shore activities on the islands, and also serve as the Navy’s representative to the local community.

Military town

Carlson said he appreciated San Diego’s longtime support for the military and that it “far surpasses that of every other city.”

“I had the honor of doing the coin toss for SDSU’s first game at Snapdragon Stadium, and the Padres and San Diego Loyal Soccer Club are always doing something for the military.”

To others serving in the military, Carlson’s advice is to be proud and loud about their service and share it with others.

Carlson also finds it important to give back to communities, whether it is being good ambassadors for the military or dedicating time and resources to charity.

“We should all strive to leave this earth better than we found it.”