Commander Adams’s sea duty has included assignments as executive officer of the U. S. Coast Guard cutter (USCGC) Dependable (WMEC- 626), operations officer of the USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623), and deck watch officer on the USCGC Absecon. He has served ashore in Coast Guard operations centers in Norfolk and San Juan and completed the resident course of study at the Naval War College in 1984.