Brig. Gen. Terrence Adams

Brig. Gen. Terrence Adams is the Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor 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 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, 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.