Downing, Wayne

Downing had a bachelor of science degree from the US Military Academy (1962) and a master's degree in business administration from Tulane University .

Between September 1962 and February 1963, a student in basic training for infantry officers and rangers at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning , Georgia.

From April 1963 to September 1964 he served in the 1st Battalion of the 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed in Okinawa by the platoon commander of Company B (April 1963 - June 1964), then as a liaison officer (June - September 1964).

From December 1964 to April 1966 he served in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, as an adjutant to the brigade commander (December 1964 - October 1965) and intelligence officer and civil affairs officer of the 1st Battalion of the 503rd Infantry regiment (October 1965 - April 1966).

In April 1966 - August 1967, instructor of the working commission on tactics and the development of measures to ensure internal defense in the tactical training group of the brigade and battalion operations department of the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning.

From August 1967 to January 1968, the commander of the company "E" of the 3rd battalion of the 1st training brigade of the US Army Infantry Training Center in Fort Benning.

In January - September 1968, a student of advanced training courses for infantry officers of the US Army Infantry School.

From September 1968 to October 1969 he served in Vietnam as part of the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division , as commander of the company “A” (counterinsurgency) (September - December 1968) and operations officer ( December 1968 - September 1969). From September to October 1969 - Operations Officer of the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.

In December 1969 - January 1972, graduate student at Tulane University in New Orleans , Louisiana.

In February - June 1972, a student at the Staff College of the Armed Forces in Norfolk , Virginia.

From June 1972 to February 1975, Senior Operations Analysis Officer / Systems Analyst in the Department of Special Regional Studies, Directorate for Program Analysis and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense

From March 1975 to December 1976, Operations Officer, then Senior Assistant Commander of the 1st Battalion of the 75th Rangers Regiment in Fort Stewart, Georgia.

In December 1976 - March 1977, the commander of a tactical group (Alaska), the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart.

In May 1977 - July 1979, commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Lewis, Washington.

From August 1979 to May 1980, a student at an aviation military college at Maxwell Air Base, Alabama.

From June 1980 to April 1982, Secretary of the Joint Headquarters of the US European Command in Stuttgart- Weichingen, Germany.

In May 1982 - April 1984, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division in Germany.

In May 1984 - November 1985, commander of the 75th Rangers Regiment at Fort Benning.

From November 1985 to June 1987, Deputy Commander of the 1st Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg , North Carolina .

From June 1987 to May 1988, Director of the Washington Office of the US Special Forces Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

In May 1988 - December 1989, deputy chief of staff for training the Command of the training and development of doctrines of the US Army in Fort Monroe, Virginia.

In December 1989 - August 1991, the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command , Fort Bragg.

From August 1991 to April 1993, Commander of the US Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.

On April 30, 1993, Downing was introduced to the rank of General and Commander of the Special Operations Command of the US Armed Forces . ^[1] On May 19, Downing was approved by the US Senate. ^[2] He took office on May 20, 1993, in which he was until February 29, 1996.

After leaving the armed forces, General Downing from October 1999 to October 2001, and from October 2002 to October 2006 was the director of the Australian company Metal Storm. ^[3] He was also a member of the board of directors of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) from April 1996 to October 2001, and from October 2002 to June 2005, he worked for NBC News as a military analyst.

After the bombing on June 25, 1996 at the Khobar Towers complex in Dahran (Saudi Arabia), which killed 19 US Air Force personnel and injured another 372 people, Downing was tasked with leading the presidential working group whose task was to investigate the attack, and making recommendations to protect American citizens and American installations abroad from future terrorist attacks. ^[four]

From 1999 to 2000, he was a member of the National Counter-Terrorism Commission ( Bremer Commission), created on behalf of the US Congress . The commission was instructed to study the degree of terrorist threat in the United States, to assess American law, policy, and practical measures to counter and punish terrorism directed against American citizens, and propose measures to correct them. ^[five]

From October 10, 2001 to June 27, 2002, he served as the Chief Advisor to the President of the United States on Counterterrorism, serving as Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Condoleezza Rice and at the same time heading the Anti-Terrorism Directorate at the United States National Security Council . ^{[6] [7] [8]}

While working in the White House, he “coordinated military, diplomatic, law enforcement, intelligence, financial and strategic information activities” aimed at combating terrorists and supporting structures of terrorism. ^[9]

After the September 11 attacks, Downing was also given the responsibility of directing the intelligence directorate at the Homeland Security Directorate , where he was responsible for coordinating the external and internal counter-terrorism activities of the US government. ^[ten]

He was the author of the so-called “Downing Plan”, according to which, to change the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, it is not necessary to concentrate large military contingents in the region, and the objectives of the operation can be achieved with the help of several dozen mobile special forces units, which will be supported by the Iraqi opposition in the north and south of the country. In addition to saving budget funds, the “Downing Plan” made it possible to complete the task in a relatively short period and without lengthy preparation. ^[eleven]

Downing was a member of the advisory board of the Iraq Liberation Committee, a non-governmental organization created to provide public support for the subsequent invasion of Iraq . In addition, Downing was a lobbyist and military adviser to the Iraqi National Congress organization, an opposition to the Iraqi regime. ^[12]

From February 2003, and until his death, he headed the Center for Combating Terrorism at the US Military Academy at West Point. In addition, Downing was a visiting professor at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan , where he led seminars on leadership and change management. ^[13]

He was married twice, had two daughters from his first marriage.

He died of meningitis on July 18, 2007.

• Second Lieutenant - June 6, 1962
• First Lieutenant - December 6, 1963
• Captain - November 10, 1965
• Major - January 6, 1969
• Lieutenant Colonel - June 1, 1976
• Colonel - September 1, 1980
• Brigadier General - November 1, 1985
• Major General - October 1, 1988
• Lieutenant General - August 5, 1991
• General - May 20, 1993

•   Ministry of Defense Medal for Outstanding Service with Bronze Oak Leaf
•   Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) with Bronze Oak Leaf
•   Silver Star with Bronze Oak Leaf
•   Medal "For Excellent Service"
•   Legion of Honor Order with Three Bronze Oak Leaves
•   Flight Merit Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf
•   Soldier Medal
•   Bronze star with letter V for valor and silver oak leaf
•   Purple Heart Medal
•   Ministry of Defense Medal of Honor
•   Medal of Commendation with two bronze oak leaves
•   Air medal with letter V for valor and two silver oak leaves
•   Commendable army medal with letter V for valor and three bronze oak leaves
•   National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star for service
•   Expeditionary Medal of the Armed Forces
•   Medal "For Service in Vietnam" with a silver and two bronze stars for service
•   Medal for Service in Southwest Asia with Two Bronze Stars for Service
•   Army Service Tape
•   Service Tape Abroad
•   Cross “For Courage” (South Vietnam) with three bronze stars for service
•   Vietnam Campaign Medal
•   Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
•   Commander of the Legion of Honor
•   Presidential Medal of Citizens (2008; posthumous) ^[14]
•   Gratitude of the army military unit from the president
•   Award for outstanding unity of the piece with bronze oak leaf
•   Commendable gratitude to the army military unit
•   Vietnam Courage Cross
•   Battle infantry badge
•   Sign of the master paratrooper
•   Aviation Guidance Specialist Badge
•   Badge of the master parachutist of long jumps
•   Sign of the skydiver of France
•   Minister of Defense Service Identification Badge
•   Ranger Patch

General Downing's biography at generaldowning.org

General Downing's biography at specialoperations.com

General Downing's biography on togetherweserved.com