BRIGADIER GENERAL GEORGE H. DOWNS
Brig. Gen. George H.H. Downs is the Mobilization Assistant to the Director for Operations, Headquarters, United States Indo–Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. He is the deputy military operations advisor to the Commander, USINDOPACOM for joint/combined military operations and training. In this position, he monitors the disposition of readiness of assigned U.S. forces and allies, conducts joint/combined training, and recommends employment options during crisis or contingency.
Brig. Gen. 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 2,500 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, Brig. Gen. Downs was the Director of Strategic Plans and Requirements, Florida Air National Guard, Saint Francis Barracks, Saint Augustine, Florida.
EDUCATION
1999 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
1999 Bachelor of Science, Accounting, University of Illinois, Champaign
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 USAF Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2017 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, Peterson Space Force Base (SFB), Colo.
2019 Dual Status Commanders Course, Peterson SFB, Colo.
2019 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt AFB, Fla.
2021 Commander Leadership Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2021 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2023 Regional Seminar-Latin America, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2025 Regional Seminar-China and the Indo-Pacific, 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, Specialized 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. February 2005 - July 2007, Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 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, Operating Location-Alpha, 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 Air National Guard, St. Augustine, Fla.
12. May 2020 - February 2022, Vice Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.
13. February 2022 - September 2024, Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.
14. September 2024 - January 2025, Director of Strategic Plans and Requirements, Joint Force Headquarters, Florida Air National Guard, St. Augustine, Fla.
15. February 2025 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo–Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 2025 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo–Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500 (more than 70 combat hours)
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, and F-15A/C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device, seven oak leaf clusters
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
Brigadier General Jan. 27, 2025
(Current as of October 2025)
