Alumni Spotlight: William M. Clifton (2008)
Colonel Dirk Smith, commander of
the 609th Air & Space Operations
Center, presents a plaque to Bill
Clifton in recognition at the end of
his deployment for a job well done.
Clifton was also presented with a
commander's coin.
UWF history graduate Bill Clifton currently serves as the wing historian for the 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX. The 80th Flying Training Wing, which hosts the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, is comprised of seven squadrons made up of both US personnel and personnel from several NATO partner nations. These squadrons train hundreds of pilots from participating nations each year for the NATO alliance. Bill writes historical reports tracking wing operations and maintains heritage displays and artifacts.
The Air Force History & Museums Program offers many unique opportunities to historians, including deployments to the theater of operations in Southwest Asia to record wartime operations as they happen. Bill experienced this rare opportunity when he deployed to the Arabian Gulf last fall to serve as historian for the 609th Air and Space Operations Center.
Clifton on deployment.
Bill received his MA in History from UWF in December 2008, focusing on Tudor historiography and early-twentieth-century Pensacola history. During his graduate studies, Bill worked as an archaeologist at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, and served for a year as curator of collections at the Pensacola Historical Society. He was previously the curator for collections at the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.
Bill and his wife and son currently reside in Wichita Falls, TX.