the torch from guys like Ken Follett, Robert Ludlum, Ian Fleming and guys like that. I grew up reading these books and knew that one day after the military I’d give it a shot and try writing one. “The Terminal List” would be my first foray in the world of publishing. IACSP: Pretty good thriller for your first time out. Before we go into the novel, would you describe your career as a Navy SEAL? Carr: Sure. I enlisted because I knew I wanted to be a sniper and typically officers aren’t snipers and I wanted to start in the “mailroom” and work my way up. Once again, here was the influence of popular culture. In the 80s all of those Vietnam movies I saw always had that brand-new lieutenant who had no idea what he was doing and always led his men into an ambush. I did not what to be that guy, so I wanted to be enlisted first and then later become an officer. I did two platoons as an enlisted SEAL and then went to OCS and then right back to the SEAL team as an officer. I ended up doing seven deployments and had a good solid run there from a brand-new guy all the way up to a detachment commander in Southern Iraq for the draw down and eventual withdrawal. IACSP: What were your years of service? Carr: From 1996 to 2016, so, twenty years. IACSP: You said you served in Iraq, did you also make it to Afghanistan? Carr: I did. IACSP: It is amazing to me that military people have made so many deployments. In my day, during the Vietnam War, guys were doing one, maybe two deployments. Carr: I did seven. Ours were shorter. In Vietnam, it was a year, I think. Our tours were typically six or seven months. IACSP: Why did you use the name “Jack Carr,” rather than your real name? Carr: I met Lee Child and he told me that he loved my title, but I needed a pen name. He said why he chose his. Back in late 90s, research showed that of all the best-selling
I enlisted because I knew I wanted to be a sniper and typically officers aren’t snipers and I wanted to start in the “mailroom” and work my way up. Once again, here was the influence of popular culture. In the 80s all of those Vietnam movies I saw always had that brand-new lieutenant who had no idea what he was doing and always led his men into an ambush. I did not what to be that guy, so I wanted to be enlisted first and then later become an officer.
novelists had last names that began with C. There was Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton and all these best -selling authors. He chose Lee Child and suggested I do the same. I was good at taking orders. IACSP: But why a pen name at all. It was not for security, was it? Carr: It was in my mind, as I thought it would be a barrier to anyone who tried to track us down, and then I met Lee Child and he suggested I do it, so I took his advice. IACSP: Well, I suppose John le Carre is a better thriller writer name than his true name, David Cornwell. Carr: It worked for him.
IACSP: I took note that in your novel, your Jack Carr