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For Staff Sgt. Perez Adams, military service wasn’t a family expectation, but today, he carries the pride and lessons of both his father and grandfather, each shaped by different eras in the Army.
LANSING, Mich. — For Staff Sgt. Perez Adams, wearing the uniform wasn’t about following in anyone’s footsteps. It started as a practical decision to find a way to pay for college. But eight years later, the Michigan Army National Guard Soldier finds himself part of a three-generation legacy of service that stretches back to his father and grandfather.
“I honestly didn’t think much about joining because of my family ties,” Perez said. “But now that I’m in, I realize how special it is to say I’m the third generation. Not many people get to share that with their dad and granddad.”
Perez’s journey looks much different than the men who came before him. His father, Misha Adams, joined the Army to escape the streets and build discipline in his life. His grandfather, Purvis Adams, enlisted decades earlier as a teenager looking for a way out of an abusive home.
“I had to get off the streets, plain and simple,” said Misha, who served as a specialist before leaving the Army at 27. “My dad didn’t want me to join at first, but it shaped me to be more disciplined, more responsible, and more independent. That’s something I carried with me as a parent too.”
Misha still remembers the pride he felt when he first saw his son in uniform. “Made me feel like a proud dad,” he said. “I gave him the same advice I lived by… it’s all mental. You’ve got to overcome and adapt.”
For grandfather Purvis Adams, service came under circumstances that reflected a harsher time in America. Growing up in Mississippi in the 1960s, he endured racism and abuse at home. He was only 16 or 17 when he enlisted, just making the weight requirement at his physical examination.
“I went into the Army to get away from my father’s beatings,” Purvis recalled. “Back then, as a Black man, you didn’t look people in the eyes. You said, ‘yessir,’ and stayed in your place. Even in uniform, there wasn’t much respect. My own bunkmate once peed on me in the middle of the night. You learned to stick to yourself.”
Despite the hardships, Purvis served about six years, eventually leaving the Army as a corporal. He never expected his son, and certainly not his grandson, to follow.
“When I saw both of them serve, it made me proud,” Papa said. “The world isn’t perfect now, but it’s a lot different than it was when I joined. About 70% of things have changed for the better.”
For Perez, serving in today’s Army National Guard feels worlds apart from his grandfather’s experiences, but the common theme of perseverance still ties them together.
“They laugh at some of the things I complain about now, because they went through the same things but harder,” Perez said with a smile. “I just try to carry myself with pride, listen to their experiences, and remain humble. No matter how long I’ve been in or what I’ve accomplished, I won’t forget where we come from.”
Perez has deployed overseas, earned the rank of staff sergeant, and even completed his master’s degree, which are milestones he says his father and grandfather would be proud to see.
“My proudest moment would be coming back safely from deployment,” Perez said. “I joined mostly for school, but I’ve gotten so much more out of it like leadership, experience, lifelong friends. Coming home safe felt like a full-circle moment.”
Though their reasons for joining were different, all three Adams men agree that the Army gave them something valuable: discipline, perspective, and a sense of pride.
Purvis, who faced prejudice during and after his service, sees progress in his grandson’s career. “There’s still some prejudice in the world, but it’s covered up more than it was in my time,” he said. “What hasn’t changed is the oath of serving and protecting your country.”
For Misha, the lesson is simpler. “Don’t ever say you can’t,” he said, echoing the words he instilled in Perez growing up.
Perez hopes the legacy continues, but he doesn’t feel pressured to pass it down. “If my future kids serve, that’s great. If not, that’s fine too. Either way, I know I’ve done my part. Service is something to be proud of no matter the reason you join, you’ll always have people proud and grateful for what you do.”
From survival, to discipline, to opportunity, the Adams family’s three generations show how service changes with the times, but also how the uniform continues to shape lives in lasting ways.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.10.2025 20:05 |
| Story ID: | 548952 |
| Location: | LANSING, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | LANSING, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Adams Family’s Three Generations of Service, by SGT Catherine Brooks, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
