Col Joshua D. Downing is Deputy Commander of Sustainment, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. He leads six maintenance squadrons and a maintenance operations staff in providing aircraft maintenance support for all of the Wing’s special operations aircraft, including the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship; MC-130J Commando II special operations airlift aircraft; CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft; MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft; and U-28 Draco intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft.
Col Downing was commissioned through ROTC at Texas A&M University in December 2004 and attended Maintenance Officer training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He has served in various positions across four major commands, including Squadron Commander, Deputy Group Commander, and on Air Staff, gaining experience with mobility, fighter, and C2ISR platforms. He deployed in support of Operations DEEP FREEZE and ENDURING FREEDOM, and as a Security Assistance Advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Force. Prior to his current position, the Colonel was Chief, Logistics and Sustainment Division, F-35 Integration Office, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science, Telecommunications Media Studies, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Aeronautical Science (with honors), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2017 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2019 Command and General Staff Officers Course, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2022 LOGTECH Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, Institute for Defense & Business (co-hosted by University of North Carolina), Chapel Hill, N.C.
2024 Senior Developmental Education Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2005 – August 2006, Assistant Officer in Charge, Silver Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
2. August 2006 – October 2007, Accessories Flight Commander, 62d Maintenance Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
3. October 2007 – March 2008, Officer in Charge, Aircraft Support Flight, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
4. March 2008 – March 2009, Executive Officer, 62d Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash.
5. March 2009 – July 2011, Officer in Charge, 310th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 756th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. July 2011 – August 2012, Director of Operations, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. August 2012 – July 2013, Director of Operations, 552d Maintenance Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
8. July 2013 – October 2014, Officer in Charge, Maintenance Operations Flight, 552d Maintenance Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. October 2014 – October 2015, Deputy Director, 566th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
10. October 2015 – October 2016, Maintenance Advisor to Royal Saudi Air Force Headquarters and Air Force Division Executive Officer, United States Military Training Mission, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
11. October 2016 – June 2017, Director of Operations, 22d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
12. June 2017 – June 2018, Commander, 22d Maintenance Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
13. June 2018 – June 2019, Student, Command and General Staff Officers Course, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
14. June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 461st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
15. June 2021 – July 2023, Deputy Commander, 436th Mission Generation Group (Provisional), Dover AFB, Del.
16. July 2023 – July 2024, Senior Developmental Education Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
17. July 2024 – June 2025, Chief, Advanced Concepts Branch, Logistics Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. June 2025 – June 2026, Chief, Logistics & Sustainment Division, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. June 2026 – present, Deputy Commander of Sustainment, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2015 – October 2016, Maintenance Advisor to Royal Saudi Air Force Headquarters and Air Force Division Executive Officer, United States Military Training Mission, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
(Current as of July 2026)