- Bill McKown
-
Clarence W. "Bill" McKown 
Captain Bill McKownBorn 1953 (age 57–58) Allegiance United States of America Service/branch United States Air Force, United States Navy Years of service 1972–2007 Rank Captain Unit VAW-114, VAW-115 Battles/wars Gulf War Awards Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service MedalOther work Distinguished Eagle Scout Clarence William "Bill" McKown Jr. (born 1953) is a retired United States Navy captain, Distinguished Eagle Scout, and currently the airport manager at Stevens Field, near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in Archuleta County.
Contents
Personal life
McKown was born in 1953 at Clark Air Base, Philippines where his father, retired US Air Force Master Sergeant McKown was stationed. Growing up in Riverside, California, as a child, McKown was so fascinated with aviation that he had over 200 model airplanes hanging from his bedroom ceiling.[1] He attributes his initial Scouting background to his grandfather, William Robert Babb also of Riverside. He first joined Scouts at age 14, earned Eagle Scout at age 16, and went on to earn two Silver Palms. He has been married to his wife, Deborah, his Ramona High School sweetheart, for over 36 years. They have two Eagle Scout sons, William and Kenneth, and daughter Krystal, a 4th grade elementary school teacher. Both of his sons started as Cub Scouts.
Education
- 1976 – AA in Liberal Arts, Arkansas State University, Beebe, Arkansas[2][3]
- 1977 – BS in Industrial Technology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois[2][4]
- 1977 – Associate of Applied Science Degree in General Electronics, Community College of the Air Force, San Antonio, Texas[2]
- 2000 – Certificate, National Security Studies Management, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York[2]
- 2003 – MS in National Security Resource Strategy National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, New Jersey[2][4]
- 2004 – Federal Executive Fellow, U. S. Navy, U. S. Department of State Foreign Service Institute, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Arlington Hall, Arlington, Virginia[2]
Scouting
Bill McKown in his BSA leader uniform with his Eagle Scout medal over his pocket and his DESA medal around his neck
McKown has been involved in Scouting with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) since he was a youth. He became an Eagle Scout on August 18, 1969, BSA Troop 290, Riverside County Council, California.[1] Other BSA achievements include: Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow in 1972, Silver Beaver Award recipient in 1995, and a Distinguished Eagle Scout and International Scouter's Award recipient, both in 2006.[5][6][7] He has been active at the unit, district, council, and region levels of the BSA in several states as well as the President of the Far East Council Japan; as well as serving as Wood Badge staff member, including serving as a Scoutmaster. Both of his sons became Eagle Scouts in 1996 with Troop 679, Ramona, California.
Military service
McKown first entered military service in 1972 right out of high school as an enlisted member of the United States Air Force and became a missile electronics technician.[1] McKown received his commission in 1978 through Officer Training School, Lackland AFB TX. He became a second lieutenant in the Air Force in 1977 and served as a navigator and electronic warfare officer.[1] In January 1982, he obtained an inter-service transfer from the Air Force and received Navy primary flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida.[2] He was designated a Naval Aviator, pilot,[1][2] in July 1983 and became an E2-C Hawkeye pilot. He has held operational positions in flying units and served as Aviation Squadron Commander,[4] Fleet Coordinating Group Commander and Officer Development, Naval Education Training Command Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit Commander.[2] In 1990 he was honored as the Naval Air Force, Pacific "Aircraft Carrier Pilot of the Year". McKown has combat experience in the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War, where he flew with VAW-115 providing Airborne Early Warning missions in support of Coalition forces and the USS Midway (CV-41) Battle Group&en;during which time he flew combat missions in the Gulf War.[2] He is a Naval Forces Tailhook Pilot of the year with over 3900 flight hours in the E-2C Hawkeye and 6500 total hours. He has achieved over 540 aircraft craft carrier arrested landings. McKown Served as Commanding Officer, VAW-114 assigned to Carrier Air Wing 15,[2] USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from 1994 to 1995. In 1999 he stood up a new Navy Flight Training Squadron while working on the Naval Air Training Command Staff.[8] In 2001–2002 he was selected for a Secretary of Defense Fellowship but was unable to attend due to command resource requirements. In 2002 he was selected for the Federal Executive Fellowship Program. McKown served as the Commanding Officer, Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.[9] He retired from the Navy December 31, 2007, completing 35 years of military service.[1][2][4] He has over 6000 flight hours and 1000 carrier landings. McKown holds the following aviation ratings: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot’s license, aircraft carrier aviation command pilot, multi-engine instrument qualification, special instrument rating, and is a flight instructor for the Naval Air Training Command.[2][4] McKown was also instrumental in the Naval Aviation Process Improvement Program (NAPPI). He was also one of the authors of a study by The Industrial College of the Armed Forces on "Space Industry".[10]
McKown's military awards include the Legion of Merit (2 Gold Stars), Meritorious Service Medal (2 Gold Stars), Air Medal one Individual and 5 Strike Flight, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal 4 awards and Combat "V", Air Force Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal.
Later in life
McKown's fascination with aviation did not end when he left the military. He became the manager at Stevens Field, Archuleta County, near Pagosa Springs, Colorado in April 2008. He was the unanimous choice out of a field of four finalists.[11] The area's pristine beauty fascinated him. He sees a bright future for the airport, especially with the FAA funding it is receiving. Surprisingly, he does not own an airplane. He continues his work with Scouting,[1] including founding and working with Venturing Crew 803 at Stevens Field that specializes in aviation.[12][13] McKown was a 2009 board member candidate for the Pagosa Chamber of Commerce, but was unsuccessful.[14] In September 2010 McKown served as the air boss of a Sport Air Racing League event at Stevens Field.[15] McKown serves as director and chairman of the Wounded Warrior Program in Pagosa Springs.[16][17]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g "Bill McKown". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/explorepagosa/profiles/bill.html. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Captain Clarence W McKown Jr., Retired" (Press release). United States Navy. 2008.
- ^ "Business, Industry & Media". America Association of Community Colleges. http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/alumni/Pages/busalumni.aspx. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e McGuire, Chuck (March 27, 2008). "Four candidates in line for airport manager job". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/Archives/archive032708.html. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
- ^ "Distinguished Eagle Scouts". Scouting.org. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/02-529.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
- ^ "Eagle Scout Resources". Alachua Eagle Resources. http://www.alachuabsa.com/eagle_scout.htm. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ "2006 International Scouter's Award Recipients". America Association of Community Colleges. http://www.bsa.scouting.org/scoutsource/International/newsletter/Volume%20I.aspx. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
- ^ Jordan, Stephanie L. (August 6, 1999). "Navy squad to train Air Force pilots". Caller-Times. http://www.caller2.com/1999/august/06/today/local_ne/4130.html. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ "Distinguished Eagle Scouts" (PDF). Alachua District. http://www.alachuabsa.com/images/venturing/AirVentureCrewPromo01.pdf. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ "Space Industry". Fort McNair, Washington, DC: The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University. Spring 2003. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:19GNreUeMRcJ:citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.127.1562%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf+clarence+w+mckown&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgzE90z10OHPAm_Y6AxaVUxyuxOdIYJ9qWu1v1PkU8j7QjIp_Vxm15kXzLU3mfGrknUAVniATyKlsgoN4btHxKTHsjMWmQDZMB3wH92O3RJJ7qUiv_Jl1iL4Wrt-u72woybIC0K&sig=AHIEtbSZBMMoDxGKSmbQ7WOl0kiEftl3xw. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ^ McGuire, Chuck (April 24, 2008). "County selects new airport manager". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/Archives/archive042408.html. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
- ^ McGuire, Chuck (July 9, 2009). "Venture Crew to take Farmington flight, tour". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2009/07july/070909/venturecrew.html. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ "Aviation Venture Crew 803 Fly In Pagosa Springs, Colorado" (PDF). Colorado Pilots Association 26 (6): 16. June 2009. http://coloradopilots.org/newsletters/archive/2009/2009_issues.pdf. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ Coulehan, Mary Jo (December 31, 2008). "Citizen and Volunteer of the Year nominations due". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2009/01january/010109/chambernews.html. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
- ^ McGuire, Chuck (September 1, 2010). "Sport Air Racing League race at Stevens Field Sept. 25". Pagosa Sun. http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2010/09%20September/090210/sportairrace.html. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
- ^ McGuire, Chuck (June 3, 2009). "Pagosa Welcomes Wounded Warriors" (PDF). Pagosa Sun. http://www.angelflightwest.org/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/PagosaSpringsSun.pdf. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ Lepire, G. N. (June 16, 2009). "Four Corners celebrates the Wounded Warrior Project" (PDF). Aztec News: p. 7. http://www.aztecnews.com/NewsArchives/2JuneTALON2009.pdf. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- 1953 births
- Arkansas State University alumni
- Community College of the Air Force alumni
- Syracuse University alumni
- Southern Illinois University alumni
- American military personnel of the Gulf War
- Businesspeople in aviation
- Distinguished Eagle Scouts
- Industrial College of the Armed Forces alumni
- People associated with the Boy Scouts of America
- United States Air Force officers
- United States Navy officers
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Air Medal
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