Major General Raymond L. Adams was commissioned in 1999 upon graduation from law school. He currently serves as Commanding General, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. He previously served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, NATO Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger, Norway.
He served on active duty from 1999 to 2003, when he transferred to the reserve component to pursue a civilian career in the federal government. His operating forces assignments include: Platoon Commander (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM) and Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment; Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment; Executive Officer, 25th Marine Regiment; Deputy Commander/Senior Reserve Advisor to 25th Marine Regiment; Deputy Commander, Force Headquarters Group; and Commanding General, Force Headquarters Group.
His headquarters and staff assignments include: Military Prosecutor, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and Legal Assistance Officer, II MEF; 6th Motor Transport Battalion S-3A; aide-de-camp to Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly, Commander, Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North; MAGTF Staff Training Program IMA Detachment Operations Officer, Chief of Staff, and Officer in Charge; and Force Design 2030 planner in Combat Development and Integration, Capabilities Development Directorate. He was appointed to the Marine Corps Reserve Policy Board for a second term in 2023.
His joint force assignments include: Human Intelligence Officer, U.S. Northern Command J-2 Intelligence Directorate, and Politico-Military Planner, Joint Staff J-5 Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate.
Major General Adams is a graduate of The Basic School, Naval Justice School, Infantry Officer Course, resident Marine Corps Command and Staff College (with honors), School of Advanced Warfighting, Advanced Joint PME, National War College (with honors), where he received the Excellence in Writing Award and Best Thematically-Focused Individual Strategy Research Project Award, Reserve Senior Staff Course, Johns Hopkins University’s Art of War program, Air University’s Cyber Operations Executive Course, the University of Oxford's Executive Leadership Program, Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute - Congressional Operations Seminar, and NATO Defense College's Generals, Flag Officers, and Ambassadors Course.
After a 21-year career in the national security arena, Major General Adams retired from his civilian job in 2024 to focus on his military career.