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NORFOLK - A Norfolk man whose lifelong ambition was to serve his nation in the military was killed Sunday by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Adam Kennedy, 25, a member of the 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division based in Fort Richardson, Alaska, died of injuries suffered in the blast while on one of many dangerous patrols undertaken by his unit, according to his father, David Kennedy of Norfolk. His mother is Nancy Smyth, also of Norfolk.

Kennedy was a member of a security detail for the unit's commander, a role which frequently brought him into harm's way, his father said.

David Kennedy said his son's unit had been attacked with improvised explosive devices five times since its deployment in October.

"He was right at the forefront of the action," Kennedy said. But he said that's exactly where his son wanted to be.

While his son acknowledged "a bit of apprehension" because of the number of attacks and the loss of friends, he remained committed to his military life and service to his country, Kennedy said.

Sgt. Kennedy re-enlisted for six years in December, just after his best friend, Sgt. Jacob McMillan, also a member of the security unit, was killed by a bomb blast in Baghdad, Kennedy said.

"He had a tremendous sense of honor and he lived his life that way," Kennedy said. "He felt the Army was the place to serve. He was a patriot."

Kennedy said his son's ambition to be a soldier emerged when he was a Cub Scout and never waivered.

"He wanted to be a soldier his whole life and he achieved his ambition," he said. "He loved his life as a soldier."

Sgt. Kennedy enlisted in 2004 shortly after his graduation from Norwich University, a military school in Northfield, Vt.

While at Norwich, he was an honor code officer all four years. Kennedy was also member of the school's Cold Weather Mountain Rescue team.

Kennedy graduated from Norwich in 2004 with a degree in computer science.

He graduated from Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood in 2000, where he played football and track. While Kennedy was serious about his military career and his beliefs, he could be a cut up, his father said.

"He was serious when it was called for," Kennedy said. "But he knew how to be a child and he could be the biggest goof-off."

Sgt. Kennedy was the second youngest of five children.

He is survived by his older brother, John; older sisters, Jane and Maureen; and younger brother, Colin.

Kennedy was the second Norwich graduate to be killed in Iraq in the past week.

Army Capt. Anthony Palermo, a resident of Brockton and a member of the 3rd Infantry Division, died when a bomb exploded near his humvee on Friday, the school said.

Palermo, 27, was a graduate of Bridgewater State College.

GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.