Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Inductee - Maj. Adam Byron Kavlick
2000 Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Recipient
Maj. Adam Bryon Kavlick
Bryon Kavlick, the son of Tom and Iva Kavlick, was born and raised in Festus, Missouri. He graduated with the Festus R-VI School District’s Class of 1985. Several of his notable high school achievements include the following: three-year letterman, Varsity Football; four-year letterman and two-year Missouri All-State athlete Varsity Track; Senior Class vice president, National Honor Society member; and member of the Concert Band. Upon graduation, Byron attended St. Louis University’s Parks College on an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) academic scholarship. During college, he competed and was selected for Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). In addition to ROTC, he was an active member and vice president of the Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity. Bryon graduated from college in December of 1988 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a 2nd Lieutenant’s commission in the United States Air Force. While awaiting pilot training, he worked as a research assistant for the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
In the winter of 1989, Bryon reported for flight screening at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After successfully completing the pilot screening process, flown in the T-41, he was transferred to Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas and began UPT, flown in both the T-38 and T-37 aircraft. Bryon received his pilot’s wings in November of 1990 and was selected to remain in Texas as a T-38 instructor pilot and flight examiner. In 1996, having been promoted to the rank of Captain, Bryon competed and was selected for follow-up training in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. As the top academic graduate, he completed F-16 training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, in early 1997. Bryon’s next assignment took hm to Aviano Air Base, Italy. As Flight lead and flight commander in the 555th Fighter Squadron, also known as the “Triple Nickel,” he flew numerous operations throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. On May 2, 1999, while participating in Operation Allied Force, Captain Kavlick distinguished himself for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force at or near Novi Sad, Serbia. On that date, he was flying as element leader on a destruction-of-enemy air-defense mission against known surface-to-air missile targets. During the attack, Captain Kavlick’s wingman was struck by an enemy missile and forced to bail out behind enemy lines. Captain Kavlick immediately took over as on-scene commander in order to orchestrate the combat search-and-rescue effort. For two hours, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, he marshaled all forces required to pick up his wingman. For his gallantry and devotion to duty, Captain Kavlick was awarded the Silver Star, the United States Air Force’s third highest medal, only ranking behind the Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross.
Bryon returned home to the United States in April 2000, again with an assignment to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Currently, with the rank of Major and as an F-16 instructor pilot, he is teaching young fighter pilots the skills necessary to survive in combat. Major Kavlick is a senior pilot with in excess of 27,00 flight hours, of which more than 240 were logged in combat. His additional medals include: the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, and the NATO Medal. Bryon is married to Captain Shelley Bischoff Kavlick, an aircraft maintenance officer in the United States Air Force.