Cliff was born in 1963, and joined the Marine Corps right out of high school where he spent twenty-two years with the infantry. He served all over the world in a variety of billets including five years with the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team where he participated in operations in Central America, West Africa, and Europe. He has a master’s degree in History and Political Science and currently teaches both at a National Consortium of Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology high school for academically gifted students. He currently lives in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas with his wife. They have three children.