Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced seven nominations for Marine Corps general officers on Monday, reshuffling the leadership across key intelligence and operational commands in a significant personnel move for the service.
The nominations, which include five reappointments to lieutenant general and two new appointments to that grade, will place veteran commanders in crucial positions throughout the Pentagon, intelligence community, and major Marine expeditionary forces.
Intelligence Community Shifts
Among the most notable changes, Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III has been tapped to lead the Defense Intelligence Agency at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Adams, currently serving as deputy commandant for Programs and Resources at Marine Corps headquarters, brings extensive experience managing complex budgetary portfolios to the intelligence role.
The intelligence community will see another Marine Corps lieutenant general in its ranks, with Lt. Gen. Melvin G. Carter receiving a nomination for reappointment as the director’s advisor for Military Affairs in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Carter currently serves as deputy commandant for Information at Marine Corps headquarters.
What’s behind this concentration of Marine leadership in intelligence functions? The moves suggest a continued emphasis on integrating military perspectives into the nation’s intelligence apparatus as global threats evolve.
Expeditionary Force Leadership
On the operational front, Lt. Gen. Robert C. Fulford has been nominated to command II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Fulford will transition from his current role as deputy commander of U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany — bringing valuable NATO and European experience back to domestic forces.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson is set to take command of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Japan in Okinawa, if confirmed. Watson currently serves as deputy commandant for Training and Education at Quantico, Virginia.
In a related move, Lt. Gen. Calvert L. Worth Jr. has been nominated to command U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and related Atlantic Fleet positions in Norfolk, Virginia. Worth will be transitioning from his current role leading II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune.
New Lieutenant Generals
The nominations also include two major generals slated for promotion to lieutenant general. Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Matos III has been selected to become deputy commandant for Information at Marine Corps headquarters, filling the position Carter will vacate. Matos currently commands multiple cyberspace and space operations commands at Fort Meade, Maryland.
“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced today that the president has made the following nominations,” the Pentagon stated in its official release detailing the appointments.
Additionally, Maj. Gen. Andrew M. Niebel is poised for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics at Marine Corps headquarters. Niebel won’t need to travel far for his new role — he currently serves as director of the Logistics Division within that same office.
The nominations represent a careful balancing act between continuity and fresh perspectives in Marine Corps leadership. Each officer brings decades of service experience to their new roles, with expertise spanning from cybersecurity to expeditionary warfare.
All nominations remain subject to Senate confirmation before the officers can assume their new positions, a process that typically takes several months to complete.
