The Director
Bob Carey has been appointed as the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program effective July 6, 2009. He administers the federal responsibilities of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) for the Secretary of Defense, who is the Presidential designee. The Act covers the voting rights of all members of the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, and their family members, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and all U.S. civilian citizens residing outside the United States. His responsibilities include executive oversight of other federal government departments, agencies, and entities that cooperate in carrying out the Act.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Carey served as Executive Director of the National Defense Committee, a grass-roots military service organization focused on protecting the legal rights of individual service members (including military voting rights), and strengthening the civil-military relationship. He was an active advocate for reforming the voting systems for military and overseas citizen voters. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Vote Foundation.
After graduating in 1985 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, he was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy and reported to USS COMTE DE GRASSE (DD 974). After earning his Surface Warfare Officer designation, he reported to Pensacola, FL, earning his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1989. After additional training, he reported to Attack Squadron 85 onboard USS AMERICA, flying the A-6E Intruder through two deployments, including 37 combat missions during DESERT STORM. Mr. Carey left active duty in 1995 after serving on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, and immediately accepted a Reserve Commission.
Mr. Carey then served on the staff of two U.S. Senators as a Legislative Assistant and Legislative Director from 1995 to 2002, until mobilized from the Reserves to active duty, again to serve on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. Upon his demobilization, he was appointed a Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Energy. Again recalled to active duty in 2003, Mr. Carey moved to New York City where, upon his release from active duty, he started Empire-Capitol Strategies, a strategic planning and policy development consulting firm. Mobilized again to active duty in 2004, Mr. Carey deployed to the staff of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, serving as the coordinator of all Coalition maritime forces involved in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, and as Executive Assistant to the Fleet Commander.
Mr. Carey returned to Empire-Capitol Strategies upon his release from active duty in 2005 until his return to active duty in 2007 where he served on the staff of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. After graduating from the Naval War College in 2008, Mr. Carey became Executive Director of the National Defense Committee, helping to establish the Alliance on Military and Overseas Voting Rights, and consulting to the Pew Center on the States’ Military and Overseas Voting Reform Initiative.
Mr. Carey continues to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
