Colonel Ulysses Adolf II was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 27-67, 9 May 1967. His first duty assignment was as Executive Officer, Detachment A-33, Company C, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

His subsequent duty assignments include: Executive Officer, Detachment A-332, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, Vietnam; Commander, Detachment A-331, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, Vietnam; Assistant Inspector General, Military Advisory Command, Vietnam; Commander, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Vietnam; Air Operations Officer, 193rd Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division, Vietnam; Commander, Detachment 132, Company C, 12th Special Forces Group, Fraser, Michigan; Executive Officer, Company C, 12th Special Forces Group, Selfridge Air National Guard, Mt. Clements, Michigan; Commander, Company C, 12th Special Forces Group, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mt. Clements, Michigan; Plans Officer (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), 1st Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Psychological Operations Staff Officer (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgard, West Germany; Psychological Operations Staff Officer (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; Commander, 501st Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Detachment, Warren, Michigan.

Colonel Adolph is a graduate of Infantry Officer Candidate School, Airborne Course, Special Forces Officer Course, Vietnamese Language Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Chemical and Nuclear Weapons Course, Command and General Staff College, Allied Command Europe Psychological Operations Course (at the British National Defense College), Special Forces Staff Course, Psychological Operations Officer Course, Civil Affairs Officer Advanced Course, and the National Security Management Course. He is also a Graduate with Distinction from the University of Michigan.

His military awards and decorations include: the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal w/ One Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Star, Vietnam Service Medal with Eight Campaign Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Medal, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral 4, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with Silver Star) Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Meritorious Unit Citation Badge, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action with Palm Unit Citation Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Five Overseas Service Bars, Master Parachute Jump Wings, and Vietnamese Parachute Jump Wings.

At the time of his Hall of Fame induction, Colonel Adolph was employed at Rouge Steel Company of Dearborn, Michigan (a former Division of Ford Motor Company), as supervisor of Rouge Steel's Heavy Mobile Equipment Repair Shop. He has over two decades of service with Ford Motor Company and Rouge Steel as a supervisor of skilled trades maintenance operations.