CMSgt David L. Colton (My Dad) Retires from the Utah Air National Guard

CMSgt David L. Colton is retiring after 38 years of military service with the Utah Air National Guard.  Chief Colton was born September 6, 1950, and was raised in Malad City, Idaho.  He graduated from Malad High School in 1968 and attended Weber State College from 1969 to 1970.  Shortly after, he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bolivia. 

The last person drafted from the local draft board during the Viet Nam era in March of 1972, Chief Colton then enlisted in the Utah Air National Guard and served in the 106th FACP as a Radar Specialist.  In February of 1986, CMSgt Colton accepted a fulltime Electronic Technician position in the Radar Shop with the the 109th Air Control Squadron.  In August of 1988, CMSgt Colton became the full time Maintenance Control Production Technician for both the 106th and the 109th Air Control Squadrons. 

In 1995, CMSgt Colton resigned his full time position to purchase his father's ranch near Malad City, Idaho.  In July of 1995, he was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant and became the Maintenance Superintendant of the 109th Air Control Squadron. During his time in the military CMSgt Colton has been deployed in support of the following:  JTF-B, Tegucigalpa Honduras, severel Central Enterprise/ Cold Fire Exercises in Germany, NATO Air Meet 03 in Posnan Poland, Operation Support Justice in Colombia, Operation Steady State in Colombia, Operation Angie III in Colombia, Operation Foal Eagle in Korea, Operation KoKomo III in Great Inagua Bahamas, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.  CMSgt Colton has also deployed to several stateside locations including Joint Air Defense Operation Center, Washington D.C.  CMSgt Colton has earned several major awards and decorations including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medals, Air Force Commendation Medals and AF Achievement medals.

Although CMSgt Colton retired in September 2010, his unit was deployed at the time to the Middle East.  His unit has now returned so his officeial retirement was held on Sunday, March 13, 2011.

In his farewell, CMSgt Colton states, "My career with the 109th has been a great one with many great experiences.  As I look back on them they were all good.  At the time a lot of them weren't so great but time has a way of smoothing out the edges.  Tragedy plus time equals comedy.  As Louis L'Amour once said, "An adventure is nothing more than a hardship or inconvenience rightly considered".  If we can't look back at the failures and bad times and can't laugh about them, how sad we would be.  I have had a lot of fun over the years but my favorite part was the associations I have had with many great people I would never have known if it hadn't been for my military career."

Colton relates that a lot of his first deployments were in support of Red Flag exercises in Nevada, Arizona, and California, and he supported a lot of other units during the winter doing Red Flag practice exercises.  He relates that the most miserable one was to Tonopa, Nevada in the month of February.  Another unit was providing a lot of the support and it was terrible.  It was cold and snowy with long hours and lousy food.  The cooks were from another unit from back east.  Towards the end they were all terribly sick.  As it turned out, one of the cooks had strep throat.  When they were finally convoyed back in to Salt Lake, the Chief from the clinic had everyone lined up and be given shots before they could go home. 

Another Red Flag deployment was to Straw Peak California.  Colton was in one of the first trucks and had a very steep mountain to climb on a very undesirable dirt road.  When they had almost reached the top of the grade, the heater hose ruuptured and dumped a lot of scalding hot water down his leg.  He spent that night in a clinic at the China Lake Naval facility.  It was such a steep incline that the last of the trucks didn't get to the top of the mountain until way after dark.  Everyone slept in their trucks with no lunch or dinner and the next morning, no breakfast.  On the other hand, Colton ate at a nice dining facility.  The next day when he got back to the mountain at about noon they were just getting the kitchen tent set up!

After the Red Flag the unit became heavily involved with assisting the 141st in Puerto Rico to convert from a fixed Radar Installation to a mobile Air Control Squadron.  They deployed many times helping the Puerto Ricans get ready for ORI's and their Acceptance Inspection.  This also coincided when becoming involved in the Counter Drug Program thoroughout South America and the Caribbean.  His first deployment was to Douglas, Arizona, as kind of a test to see if they could actually pick up and track drug runners across the border.  Because of the success there, he, along with a lot of other unit members, deployed many times to various locations in Colombia, and the Caribbean.  The last Counter Drug deployment any of his unit members engaged in was in El Centro California. 

During all this time the unit had a Checker Flag location in Germany, and were deployed to several locations, several times within that country.  This was a location where they could be deployed if the former Soviet Union ever invaded Western Europe.  Colton states, "I sure was glad when the Berlin wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed because if we did deploy there in the event of war with the Soviet Union, our prospects for survival weren't very good".

"Let it suffice it to say that I have loved almost every minute of it.  I have loved the challenges that have been set before me and my unit and especially how we have overcome those challenges to become the premier Air Control Squadron in the Air Force.  The 109th has a proven track record from Korea, Wendover, and Roving Sands to the MIddle East, and we are and will continue to be the best," concludes Colton.  "Those I served with are like brothers, and sisters to me."

CMSgt Colton is the son of LaVern and Joyce Colton of Malad City, Idaho.  He has three children, Brian (Andrea) Colton of Malad; Monica (Aaron) Lifferth, of Kirksville, Missouri; Erica (Jason) VanBebber of Malad; and seven grandchildren.  He will continue to live in Malad and farm on the Malad Summit.

Dad with Me, Brian, and Monica

Monica and Dad