[3][4] He entered the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York on 20 June 1894.

He would go on to graduate from the Army War College in 1910, where Hunter Liggett was among his classmates, and serve in a variety of administrative positions, most notable of which was assigning troops to their regiments.

His citation reads as follows: General Craig served in turn as Chief of Staff of a division, a corps, and an Army, in each of which capacities he exhibited great ability.

His personal influence, aggressiveness, and untiring efforts were repeatedly displayed in the operations of the 1st Corps in the vicinity of Chateau-Thierry, on the Oureq, and the Vesle during the St. Mihiel and Argonne-Meuse offensives.

[11]After the war, Craig reverted to his permanent rank of major on 15 August 1919, but was promoted to colonel on 1 July 1920, and to brigadier general only 15 days later.

Craig served as the commander of the Ninth Corps Area, headquartered in San Francisco, from 21 November 1930 to 24 January 1935.

He served as chief of staff from 2 October 1935 to 31 August 1939, succeeding General Douglas MacArthur and preceding George C. Marshall.

This caused the cut back on planned purchases of B-17s to procure smaller but cheaper (and inferior) twin-engine light and medium bombers such as the Douglas B-18.

[12] Malin Craig Jr. was a career Army officer and World War II veteran who retired as a colonel.