Clay Garrison set to close Field of Service on Sunday

The annual Field of Service event concludes this Sunday in Mariposa.

Sponsored by Mariposa County 4-H and the Mariposa Museum and History Center, the event pays tribute to those who have served, in remembrance of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to honor those who continue to protect and serve.

Flags fly at the museum through Nov. 16 to pay tribute to all military men and women and public safety personnel.

The closing ceremony will be held this Sunday at the museum at 2 p.m.

Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, USAF retired, will be the closing speaker at the ceremony.

Garrison is a native of Madera and 1984 graduate of Madera High School.

Leaving high school, he attended the United States Air Force Academy where he graduated in 1988 as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. After completing pilot training as a distinguished graduate in 1989, he was assigned the F-16.

Garrison spent the next 13 years on active duty flying the F-16 at various bases in Japan, Korea and the United States. In July 2002, Garrison left active duty for the Air National Guard where he spent the next 14 years as a fighter pilot and eventually Wing Commander of the 144th Fighter Wing at Fresno.

In 2016, he was promoted to Brigadier General and moved to Sacramento where he served for over three years as the Adjutant General — Air and Commander of the California Air National Guard.

As the commander of the California Air National Guard, he was directly responsible for over 4,700 military and civilian personnel at 10 locations across California. He retired from the Air Force in 2019 after 31 years of service

Since his Air Force retirement, Garrison has worked exclusively in aviation as a pilot and flight instructor for several companies, flying a diverse assortment of aircraft. His flying portfolio includes work as an aerial applicator, jet pilot, air charter pilot and flight instructor.

He is currently working on his rotorcraft rating to add helicopter pilot to his resume. In addition to flying,

Garrison is actively involved in his church, a project leader in the 4-H program and chairman of the board of directors at Castle Air Museum.

Garrison is a command pilot with more than 9,200 total hours, including over 3,900 hours in the F-16 and F-15. His military flying includes combat operation in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom and various exercises across Asia and the Middle East.

He is married to Paula, also a native of Madera, and they have two adult children, plus two grandchildren.

All proceeds from Mariposa Field of Service — Past and Present will benefit the American Legion Post 567, the Mariposa VFW and the Mariposa Museum and History Center.