Colonel George H.H. Downs is the commander of the 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville International Airport (IAP), Jacksonville, Florida. As the Wing Commander he ensures the successful execution of the F-15 Federal Aerospace Control Alert mission, worldwide deployments supporting national objectives, and domestic operations as directed by the Governor. He is responsible for a combination of over 1,600 military and civilian personnel at six installations, including Jacksonville International Airport, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), Eglin AFB and Homestead Air Reserve Station. The 125th Fighter Wing conducts Air Force missions to include Air Supremacy, Offensive and Defensive Space Operations, RED HORSE, Joint Communications and Battlefield Weather Support.
Colonel Downs was commissioned in 1999 as a Distinguished Graduate from the University of Illinois Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, and F-15A/C/D. He has flown missions in support of Operations NOBLE EAGLE, SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, and ATLANTIC RESOLVE. Prior to his current position, the Colonel was the Vice Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville IAP, Jacksonville, Fla.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
1999 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 USAF Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2017 Air War College, by correspondence
2018 Joint Task Force Commander’s Training Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 Dual Status Commander’s Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt AFB, Fla.
2021 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Commander Leadership Course, Andrews AFB, Md.
2023 Regional Seminar-Latin America, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999–February 2000 Executive Officer, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base (AFB), Calif.
2. March 2000–August 2001 Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. September 2001–March 2002 Student, F-15 qualification training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. April 2002–December 2004 Instructor Pilot, Assistant Chief of Scheduling, Assistant Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, 71st Fighter Squadron and 1st Operations Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
5. Feb 2005-July 2007 Evaluator Pilot, chief of standardization and evaluation and flight commander, 390th Fighter Squadron, Mountain.Home AFB, Idaho
6. August 2007–April 2009 Evaluator Pilot, weapons officer and assistant operations officer, 493d Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
7. April 2009–April 2010 Chief of Master Air Attack Planning and executive officer to the Director, 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
8. July 2010-August 2013 Evaluator Pilot, weapons officer, chief of exercises and evaluations, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.
9. August 2013–August 2015 Evaluator Pilot, director of F-15 testing, Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, OL-A, Jacksonville, Fla.
10. August 2015–March 2018 Evaluator Pilot, commander, 159th Fighter Squadron, Jacksonville, Fla.
11. March 2018–May 2020, Evaluator Pilot, director of Intelligence, Operations, and Communications, Joint Force Headquarters, Florida National Guard, St. Augustine, Fla.
12. May 2020 – February 2022, Vice Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.
13. February 2022 – Present, Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 2,400, including more than 70 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, and F-15A/C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device, seven oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 16, 1999
First Lieutenant June 16, 2001
Captain June 16, 2003
Major May 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel July 23, 2013
Colonel March 1, 2018
(Current as of January 2024)