Brig. Gen. Terrence Adams is the Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor (DPCA) to the Secretary of Defense and Senior Military Advisor for Cyber Policy.  As the DPCA, he serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on military cyber forces and activities. He is also responsible for assessing and overseeing the implementation of the cyber strategy of the Department and execution of the cyber posture review of the Department on behalf of the Secretary. On behalf of the Principal Cyber Advisor, Brig. Gen. Adams leads a cross-functional team focused on synchronizing and coordinating military and civilian cyber forces and activities of the Department.

Brig. Gen. Adams was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, and enlisted in the Army as a private (E-1) after high school. After serving in the Army for six years, he entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Alabama State University - Detachment 019 after graduating from Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama.

He commanded six times at the squadron, group, and wing levels, three of these commands while deployed. Most recently, he served as Commander 628th Air Base Wing, and Commander of Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. Brig. Gen. Adams deployed to Seeb Air Base, Oman, Kirkuk AB, Iraq, Ali AB, Iraq, and Al Udeid AB, Qatar in support of operations Southern Watch, Iraq Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. He has held a variety of positions at squadron, group, wing, major command, air staff and joint levels.

Prior to his current position, the general was the Director, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems, Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala.
1995 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
1997 Master of Business Administration, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 Master of Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2004 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2006 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Science, National Security Strategy National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2017 Advanced Cyber Operations, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2019 National Security Seminar, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2020 Cybersecurity and Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2020 Data Science for Data Leadership Course, AGovX, Washington, D.C.
2022 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 Cyber Operations Executive Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1994–July 1995, Assistant Regional Director of Admission, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2. July 1995–November 1995, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. November 1995–July 1997, Team Lead, Command/Control Software, Air Combat Command Computer System Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
4. November 1997–July 1998, Executive Officer, ACC Communications Group, Langley AFB, Va.
5. July 1998–August 2000, Commander, Mission Systems Flight, 42nd Communications Squadron, 42nd Air Base Wing, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. August 2000–June 2001, Wing Executive Officer, 42nd Air Base Wing, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 2001–July 2002, Air Force Intern, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2002–April 2003, Action Officer, Networking Infrastructure, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
9. April 2003–July 2005, Chief, C4I Combat Plans Branch, Kenny Warfighting Headquarters (P), Hickam AFB, Hawaii
10. July 2005–July 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2006–July 2008, Commander, 33rd Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
12. July 2008–March 2010, Action Officer, Joint Tactical Systems, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems Directorate (J6), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. March 2010–June 2011, Executive Assistant to the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer, Systems Directorate (J6), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. June 2011–June 2012, Commander, 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Al Udeid, AB, Qatar
15. July 2012–July 2013, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
16. July 2013–July 2015, Deputy Commander, Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill AFB, Fla.
17. July 2015–July 2017, Commander, 375th Communications Group, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. July 2017–September 2018, Director of Communications and Chief Information Officer, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. September 2018–May 2020, Commander, 628th Air Base Wing and Commander, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
20. May 2020–June 2021, Chief, Strategic Assessments, Air Force Futures, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21. June 2021–December 2021, Military Deputy Director Concepts and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff Air Force Futures, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
22. December 2021–March 2022, Special Assistant, Cyber Effects Operations, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
23. March 2022 – August 2023, Director, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
24. September 2023 – Present, Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor and Senior Military Advisor for Cyber Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2008–March 2010, Action Officer, Joint Tactical Systems, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems Directorate (J6), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major
2. July 2013–July 2015, Deputy Commander, Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
3. September 2023 – Present, Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor and Senior Military Advisor for Cyber Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award, MAJCOM Level
Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, MAJCOM Level
2018 Wing Communication and Information Field Grade Officer of the Year, PACAF HQs Top 100 Federal Award in Information Technology
2020 BEYA Military Service Award
2022 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
2023 We See You Award

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 4, 1994
First Lieutenant June 4, 1996
Captain June 4, 1998
Major Nov. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel June 1, 2015
Brigadier General Sept. 2, 2021
 

(Current as of 28 September 2023)