Rear Admiral Brian Lee Adams

Brian Lee Adams was born in Southport, Queensland on 26 June 1952 and joined the RAN as a junior recruit, at HMAS Leeuwin, in January 1968. He was selected for officer training and became a midshipman in June 1969. He then served as a seaman officer in patrol boats, landing craft and ships, and destroyers. While on exchange with the Royal Navy in 1981 and 1982 he served in the assault ship HMS Intrepid, undertaking amphibious warfare duties with the Royal Marines and instructing young officers from Britannia Royal Naval College in navigation, seamanship and leadership. He has commanded HMAS Tarakan and HMAS Tobruk.

His postings include the Australian Joint Warfare Establishment as the RAN Director and HQADF where he worked in capital equipment programming, preparedness and resource policy development. In 1993 and 1994 he commanded HMAS Creswell, the RAN College at Jervis Bay, followed by two years as the director of Naval Warfare in Maritime Headquarters in Sydney.

From January 1998 to early 2000 he was Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy, in Canberra. In June 2000 he was promoted to Rear Admiral, followed shortly after by the appointment as Deputy Chief of Navy. On 26 August 2002 Rear Admiral Adams was appointed to the position of Head Defence Personnel Executive.

Rear Admiral Adams is a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, the Joint Services Staff College and the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies. He holds degrees in Arts and Business Administration. In 2003 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to the Australian Defence Force and the RAN as Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy and as Deputy Chief of Navy.

Rear Admiral Adams retired from the Royal Australian Navy on 14 June 2005.