Fresh off his return from the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, President Cliff will discuss highlights from the convention. Throughout the discussion, President Cliff will demonstrate how RI’s goals intertwine with our own club’s strategic plan and Cliff’s goals for the upcoming year. Immediately following the convention, Cliff and his family traveled to Scotland for the wedding of his oldest son – we may also hear a little of their Scottish adventures!Biography – Lt Col (Ret) Clifford Bowman
Cliff Bowman retired from the United States Air Force on 31 December 2009 and is currently employed by BGI-LLC as the Lead A-10 Pilot Instructor and Subject Matter Expert at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. He is responsible for all BGI operations in regard to A-10 formal training to include classroom instruction on tactics and procedures, simulator instruction, and courseware development. His last Air Force assignment was as the commander of the 357th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from May 2008 to December 2009 for which he was responsible for 42 Airmen employing 22 A-10 aircraft conducting A-10 flying training operations.
Lt Col (Ret) Bowman’s operational assignments included duty as an OA-10 Forward Air Controller and Battalion Air Liaison Officer, A/OA-10 instructor pilot and evaluator, and a Combat Search and Rescue pilot. Lt Col (Ret) Bowman’s staff duties included tours at PACAF’s exercise COPE THUNDER and U.S. Joint Forces Command. While at COPE THUNDER, he developed COPE THUNDER’s first-ever close air support exercise. At Joint Forces Command, Lt Col (Ret) Bowman directed Europe and Middle East policy for J-5, Strategy and Policy Directorate. Lt Col (Ret) Bowman served as Director of Operations for the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB from May 2006 to May 2008. During this duty, Lt Col (Ret) Bowman led the 354 FS Bulldogs deployment to Afghanistan, conducting combat operations for seven months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lt Col (Ret) Bowman’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, which he received from fellow Rotarian Col (Ret) Kent Laughbaum, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
Lt Col (Ret) Bowman is a Command Pilot with more than 3100 total flying hours in three aircraft. A combat experienced aviator, he flew over 100 combat missions during Operation Enduring Freedom and multiple combat support missions during Operation Southern Watch.
Cliff graduated from the University of Arizona in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He received his Master of Science in Business and Organizational Management from the University of LaVerne in 1995. While in the Air Force, Cliff graduated from several professional military courses to include Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, and Air War College.
Cliff is married to his college sweetheart, the former Kathleen Harris who is a Tucson native and daughter of Mike and Charlotte Harris. Kathleen is a fifth grade teacher at Manzanita Elementary School and was recently recognized as the Catalina Foothills School District Teacher of the Year. Kathleen and Cliff have four children. Michael is a graduate of the University of Arizona and is currently working on his Master’s Degree at the University of Edinburgh. Ryan graduated from NAU and is a special education teacher at Rio Vista Elementary School. Ryan is pursuing dual certification as an elementary and special education teacher. Nick is a graduate of the University of Arizona and will begin medical school at Midwestern University in Glendale this fall. Daughter Rachel is a junior at the University of Arizona working toward her degree in elementary education. Just recently, Michael married his college sweetheart, the former Chloe Berghausen, on June 27th for which the Bowman, Harris, and Berghausen clans made a great excursion to Scotland to celebrate the occasion.
Cliff’s service associations include serving on the Reading Seed Board of Directors, the Literacy Connects Board of Directors, and the St Thomas More Newman Center Corporate Board.
