About

Gray

Gray

Clifford “Mike” Gray is a retired Air Force NCO who traveled the globe for two decades at the behest of the world’s most sadistic travel agent, Uncle Sam.  During his military career Mike worked in intelligence, command & control, and wrote for the Air Force’s history program.  Mike is a recipient of the Frank Futrell Award for his work The First and the Last: America’s 911 Wing at War, a book he coauthored that details the first 105 days of combat in Afghanistan.  He is also the recipient of four other “best in the Air Force” and seven “best in the command” awards for his writing and program management achievements.

Since retiring from active duty, Mike has been an active Veteran advocate through his involvement with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and Student Veterans of America.  Most of his advocacy work took place in California where he lived before returning to Maine in 2014.  He is slowly building his network of like-minded Veteran advocates throughout Maine who are all determined to tilt at whatever windmill stands against them.  

Mike comes about his passion in the traditional fashion.  His maternal grandfather, father, and son all served in the Army.  Mike has always been the oddball who insists on doing things differently.

If you, the faithful reader, have questions about Veteran issues or suggestions for column ideas, please feel free to email Mike at cliff.m.gray@gmail.com.  

Mike’s opinions are his own and do not represent any of the honorable organizations who have, despite their better judgment, agreed to allow him in their ranks.  While he doesn’t always agree with the conventional views on Veteran issues, he still loves the Veterans who have them.

When Mike isn’t banging away aggressively on his keyboard he can be found hobbling around his hobby farm in Hermon.  His chickens and goats conspire against him on a daily basis.