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12th Air Force Command Chief to retire after serving 31 years

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Kelly Ogden
  • 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  A retirement ceremony to honor the distinguished Air Force career of Command Chief Master Sgt. Harold "Layton" Clark Jr. will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the 755th Aircraft Maintenance Hangar, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

Clark, who serves as the 12th Numbered Air Force (Air Forces Southern) command chief, will be celebrating over 31 years of dedicated military service during this ceremony. In his current role as the senior enlisted leader, he advises the commander on all issues regarding the health, welfare, morale, and effective utilization of assigned enlisted personnel. Twelfth Air Force ensures the readiness of 10 active duty wings and one direct reporting unit for contingency operations, oversees 20 gained Air Reserve Component units, and employs 17 airframes totaling more than 840 combat aircraft with more than 62,000 Airmen. As the air and space component to U.S. Southern Command, Air Forces Southern conduct security cooperation and provide air, space and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Chief Clark entered basic training in June 1980 as an Ohio Air National Guard Security Forces member. Upon graduation from technical training, he was assigned to the 121st Tactical Fighter Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio. Chief Clark enlisted in the active duty Air Force on Nov. 1, 1982. Since then he has served in a broad range of Senior Enlisted Leadership positions ranging from Security Forces Manager, Air Combat Command Inspector General Superintendent, Mission Support Group Superintendent, and as Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad Air Base, Iraq and the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.