CMSgt Clifford L. Lawton is the Command Chief of the 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the installation host, the 86 AW supports the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Third Air Force, three tenant wings, and more than 120 mission partners, to include the integration of and caring for the greater Kaiserslautern Military Community and its 56,000 U.S. service members and families. As the 86 AW Command Chief, he is the Senior Enlisted Leader of a wing comprised of seven groups and 30 squadrons across four installations in Germany, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal. The 86 AW’s mission is to project power and create community. The wing conducts USAFE-AFAFRICA’s only airlift, airdrop, and aeromedical evacuation flying operations, providing rapid global mobility and expeditionary combat support for military operations.
Born in Elloree, South Carolina, Chief Lawton entered the Air Force in May 1999. He graduated from the Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in January 2000 and later retrained into the Intelligence Operations career field in December 2005. His background includes a myriad of roles in leadership and technical positions at the squadron, group, and combatant command levels. His assignments include bases in Mississippi, Korea, Virginia, Florida, Qatar, Texas, Illinois, Germany, and D.C. Chief Lawton also deployed overseas in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.
Prior to this position, Chief Lawton was the Command Chief of the 11th Wing, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. He advised the commander and staff on matters of readiness, morale and welfare, and effective utilization of approximately 1,700 personnel providing host wing support to more than 49,000 Joint military, civilians, contractors, and family members across the National Capitol Region.
EDUCATION
2003 Airman Leadership School, Langley AFB, VA
2009 Associate Degree in Avionic Systems, Community College of the Air Force
2009 Associate Degree in Communications Application Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, TX
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, by distance learning
2013 Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
2014 Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, AL
2015 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, Webster Groves, MO
2016 Professional Manager Certification, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2017 Air Combat Command Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
2018 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Gunter Annex, AL
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, MD
2022 Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by distance learning
2022 Air Force Enterprise Seminar, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, NC
2023 Africa Demographics, Resources, and Governance Seminar, Alan J. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2024 Continuous Improvement & Innovation Executive Course, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Durham,NC.
2026 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan J. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 1999 – July 1999, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. July 1999 – January 2000, Student, Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS
3. January 2000 – January 2001, Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice, 8th Maintenance Squadron, Kunsan AB, Korea
4. February 2001 – April 2003, Electronic Warfare Systems Journeyman, 10th Intelligence Squadron, Langley AFB, VA
5. May 2003 – May 2005, Advanced Programs Team Leader, 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
6. June 2005 – December 2005, Student, Intelligence Operations Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, TX
7. January 2006 – February 2008, NCOIC Intelligence Systems Element, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Langley AFB, VA
8. March 2008 – March 2009, NCOIC Intelligence Support Element, Special Operations Command Central, Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar
9. April 2009 – October 2013, NCOIC Current Operations, 26th Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, TX
10. November 2013 – September 2015, Operations Superintendent, Intelligence Operations Division, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL
11. October 2015 – November 2016, Superintendent, Commander’s Action Group, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL
12. December 2016 – December 2017, Superintendent, 497th Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
13. January 2018 – July 2020, Superintendent, 497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
14. August 2020 – April 2021, Senior Enlisted Leader, European Cryptologic Center, Darmstadt, Germany
15. May 2021 – May 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, European Mission Operations Center, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, Germany
16. June 2022 – May 2025, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 11th Wing, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
17. June 2025 – Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
MAJOR AWARDS
Legion of Merit with 1 oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic May 26, 1999
Airman 1st Class July 09, 1999
Senior Airman May 09, 2001
Staff Sergeant March 01, 2003
Technical Sergeant May 01, 2008
Master Sergeant July 01, 2011
Senior Master Sergeant February 01, 2015
Chief Master Sergeant December 01, 2017
(Current as of June 2026)