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"We'll set up a perimeter around a landing area to protect the ships anchored close by," he said. Others are stationed on amphibious landing craft, like small aircraft carriers that carry predominantly helicopters, Harrier jets and crew.
While still at home, Adams has time to spend with his childhood sweetheart/wife, Laurie, daughter Camilla, 6, and son, Aiden, just 4 months old.
From birth to age 6, the couple were very close childhood friends when they both lived in Yosemite National Park, Calif., where their fathers were National Park Service rangers. Then, like a storybook romance, they crossed paths six years ago, renewing a friendship that blossomed into a marriage.
Adams enlisted in the Marines in 1998, choosing that branch of the military because "I like their pride and their camaraderie."
He completed Boot Camp at Parris Island, S.C., and Combat Training at Camp Lejuene and Camp Geiger. Then he attended the Naval Corrections Academy at Lackland Air Force Base and Stinger Missile School at Fort Bliss, both in Texas.
"Daniel is not what you would call an aggressive person," said his mother, who is New Choices director for REACH of Jackson County. "But he believes in fighting for freedom."
"I wish people would support the cause and our troops more," said the Marine. "This is not a fight for oil; it is a fight for freedom for people.
"We're fighting for a combination of taking away the threat of Saddam Hussein and his control of the Iraqi people. This is helping with the war on terrorism because he's a part of that. If we just let him keep doing what he's doing, he may team with other terrorists and attack the United States. By being there now, we're preventing that," said Adams.
He finds it "hard enough to go fight in a foreign country without the added hardship of our own people not being on our side."
While he is waiting stateside, Adams certainly isn't idle. For the LAADs at Cherry Point now is a time of intense high-alert training.
The training he is allowed to talk about includes field operations and exercises, simulations of deployment, setting up mock firing positions using battle equipment and establishing simulated communications.
On top of that, throw in putting on all the combat gear in record time (the first nine seconds are crucial in chemical warfare) and hiking 10 miles a day for conditioning.
"We're ready," Adams said of his section as they await orders.
Readers with family members serving in the war effort are invited to share their stories with The Herald. Contact the news department at 586-2611.
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Sgt. Daniel Adams