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Home / Conference / KCIS 2022 / Cliff Souza
Colonel Cliff Souza
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Colonel Clifford A. Souza is the commander of the 109th Operations Group, 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard Base, Schenectady, New York. As Operations Group Commander, Colonel Souza oversees LC-130 and C-130 tactical aircrews, aeromedical evacuation crews, and operations support personnel to achieve Department of Defense objectives in the Polar Regions and across the globe.
Colonel Souza graduated from Bayport-Blue Point High School in Long Island, New York, and enlisted in the New York Air National Guard at Westhampton Beach, New York in 1985. He served as a weather observer and forecaster supporting the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division. Upon graduating from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Colonel Souza attended the Navy’s Aviation Officer’s Candidate School and Undergraduate Pilot Training in Pensacola, Florida. After received his wings and commission as an Ensign in May 1992, he completed SH-60B Seahawk training, and joined Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Four Eight (HSL-48) at Naval Air Station Mayport, Florida. He performed numerous sea deployments to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Red Sea performing counter narcotics and contingency sea-control operations. During this tour he also qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer. In 1996, he was assigned to Fleet Activities Okinawa, Japan. He served as a UC-12 Pilot, Flight Safety Officer and Chief of Standardization & Evaluation. Concurrently, he was the Officer in Charge of the White Beach Naval Port Facility and Security Forces Officer.
Upon discharge from the Navy in 1999, he joined the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing. He has held positions of increasing responsibility to include Chief of Antarctic Operations, Chief of Tactics, Director of Operations and Commander of the 109th Operations Support Squadron. In 2007 and 2010 he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, flying combat missions with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. He has deployed annually to the Arctic and Antarctic flying the LC-130 for 18 years and has served as the 139th EAS Commander. In April of 2018 he was selected as the 109th Operations Group Commander. Colonel Souza has served for 33 years. He is an active Flight Instructor and Evaluator Pilot with more than 7,000 military flying hours. *
* source: https://www.109aw.ang.af.mil/About/Leadership/Display/Article/1678014/clifford-a-souza/
Conference Abstract
The Challenges of Arctic Air Mobility
Air Mobility is critical to sustained presence in the high Arctic. The environment, limited airfields, support infrastucure and impact to indiginious populations make air mobility in the Arctic hard and expeditionary in nature. Specialized tactics, techniques, procedures and training are required for safe operations. Leveraging the capabilities and experience of allies and partners are of vital importance to effective Arctic security operations. Multi-lateral training exercises are ideal for building relationships, capabilities, and interoperability. As longitude lines converge in the high-north so does the need for cooperation to defend the Homelands. Progress has already been made, the NYANG and CJOC/JTF-N have partnered for a decade during Operations Nunalivut, Guerrier Nordique, and Exercises Arctic Edge and Polar Reach. Teamwork, agility, and embracing the challenges of Arctic operations are the keys to success.
