About Kevin Adams
Kevin A Adams was born on September 7, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. He joined the Civil Air Patrol as a cadet in 1977. He progressed through the cadet program, earning the General Carl A. Spaatz Award in 1983. Kevin joined the US Air Force and served on active duty for six years. During his U.S. Air Force service and afterward Kevin remained active as a Senior Member in the Michigan Wing of the Civil Air Patrol progressing to the grade of Major and holding numerous positions, including Director of Cadet Programs. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force, he attended Oakland Community College and then Eastern Michigan University. After college, Kevin worked in the Information Technology field and along the way he met, fell in love with, and married Michelle. He became the proud father of Kaitlyn, less than two years later. Kevin and Michelle had an entrepenurial spirit and opened their own business, a Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream store in Novi, Michigan.
Kevin lived a short but full life. He actively participated in all manner of physical fitness activities including Tae Kwon Do earning a black belt and competing internationally before turning 16. He was also a licensed airplane pilot and an active scuba diver.
Regarding his time as a cadet and the excellence that he strove for and inspired others to achieve, Maj Glenn Overby, coach and senior member escort of the 1981 MIWG cadet competition drill team, shared the following after his passing:
“The 2003 death of Kevin Adams (Spaatz #655) brings back memories of the 1981 Michigan Wing and Great Lakes Region drill team, which might well be called “The Team The Diamonds Fell On”. Kevin was a cadet 1st lieutenant when they marched in Alabama at the 1981 NCC. He would be the ninth and last team member to earn the Spaatz Award, out of the 16 team members. At NCC, the team won the Special Team Award and the written examination event, and finished third overall. Seven of those nine Spaatz Awards were earned within a year of each other. It was truly a case of good young men and women inspiring each other to excellence.”
Col Leo "Dimples" Burke, was a peer of Kevin in CAP and his best friend. When Col Burke become Commander of Michigan Wing, one of his first priorities was to form a squadron in honor of his friend and bearing his name. As part of that process, he entrusted the formation of the squadron to one of Kevin's other close friends, Mark "Godfather" Davalos, who served as the unit's first commander. From the beginning, the squadron strives to follow the example of Kevin Adams by setting the highest standards possible and never waiver in the pursuit of our motto "Excellence in Honor of Legacy."