Chief Master Sergeant Clifford L. Lawton is the Command Chief
Master Sergeant 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 Master
Sergeant, 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.
Prior to this position, Chief Master Sergeant Lawton was the
Command Chief Master Sergeant 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
exceptional host installation support to more than 49,000 Joint
military, civilians, contractors, and family members on the
installation, at the Pentagon, across the National Capital Region,
and Air Force District of Washington’s worldwide mission.
Born and raised 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, and Illinois. Chief
Lawton also deployed overseas in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
2003 Airman Leadership School, Langley AFB, Virginia
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, Texas
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, by distance learning
2013 Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2014 Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, Alabama
2015 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, Webster Groves, Missouri
2016 Professional Manager Certification, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2017 Air Combat Command Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
2018 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Gunter Annex, Alabama
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 1999 – July 1999, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. July 1999 – January 2000, Student, Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
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, Virginia
5. May 2003 – May 2005, Advanced Programs Team Leader, 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
6. June 2005 – December 2005, Student, Intelligence Operations Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
7. January 2006 – February 2008, NCOIC Intelligence Systems Element, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia
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, Texas
10. November 2013 – September 2015, Operations Superintendent, Intelligence Operations Division, United States Transportation
Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
11. October 2015 – November 2016, Superintendent, Commander’s Action Group, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB,
Illinois
12. December 2016 – December 2017, Superintendent, 497th Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
13. January 2018 – July 2020, Superintendent, 497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis,
Virginia
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 2025)