Background
Downing, Wayne Allan was born on May 10, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Son of F. Wayne and Eileen M. Downing.
Downing, Wayne Allan was born on May 10, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Son of F. Wayne and Eileen M. Downing.
Bachelor of Science, United States Military Academy, 1962; Master of Business Administration, Tulane University, 1971.
Commissioned Second lieutenant United States Army, 1962, advanced through grades to general, 1993, retired, 1996. Student basic airborne course Jumpmaster School, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1962. Student Ranger School, 1963.
Student British jungle warfare course Kota Tingii, Malaya, 1963. Rifle platoon leader Company C, 2d Airborne Battle Group 503d Infantry Combat Team, Okinawa, 1963-1964, assistant operations officer (S3) 1st Battalion (Airborne, 1964. Aide-de-camp to commanding general 173d Airborne Brigade, Okinawa, S. Vietnam, 1964-1965.
Intelligence officer (S2) 1st Battalion (Airborne) 503d Infantry, S. Vietnam, 1965-1966. Instructor The Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1966-1967. Student Pathfinder School, 1967.
Commander Company E, 3d Battalion, 1st Brigade United States Army Training Center, 1967-1968. Student infantry officers advanced course, 1968. Commander Company A, 2d Battalion, 14th Infantry 25th Infantry Division, S. Vietnam, 1968-1969, operations office (S3), 2d Brigade, 1969.
Student Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, 1972. Staff analyst Southeast Asia Division Office Deputy Assistant Secretary Defense, Washington, 1972-1973, staff analyst special regional studies division, 1973-1975. Student Jungle Warfare School, Panama, 1876, 77, 79.
Operations officer (S3) 1st Battalion (Ranger) 75th Infantry, Fort Stewart, Georgia, 1975-1976, executive officer, 1976. Commander 24th Infantry Division Task Force, 1976. Commander 2d battalion 75th Infantry, Fort Lewis, Washington, 1977-1979.
Student Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1980. Secretary joint staff Headquarters United States European Comman, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, 1980-1982. Commander 3d Brigade 1st Armored Division, Bamberg, Germany, 1982-1984.
Commander 75th Infantry, Fort Benning, 1984-1985. Special assistant to commanding general United States Army Infantry, 1985. Deputy commanding general 1st Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1985-1987.
Director Washington Office United States Special Operations Commandat MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 1987-1988. Deputy chief of staff for training United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia, 1988-1989. Commander Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, 1988-1991, United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, 1991-1993, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 1993—1996.
Deputy assistant to President, national director, deputy national security advisory for combating terrorism The White House, 2001—2002. Distinguished Chair Combatting Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy. Member National Commission on Terrorism (The Bremer Commission), 1999—2000.
Member Association United States Army, Ranger Association, 173d Airborne Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Beta Gamma Sigma, Omicron Delta Kappa. M C.
Married Linda Chester, July 21, 1962 (divorced December 1980). Children: Elizabeth, Laura. Married Kathryn Bickerman, May 6, 1996.