1SG(R) Jason E. Downing enlisted in the Army in July 2000 and attended Combat Engineer One Station Unit Training with D co, 35th Engineer Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, MO until November 2000. From December 2000 to December 2001 he was assigned to A co, 2nd Engineer Battalion at Camp Castle, Korea where he served as a Combat Engineer. From January 2002 to June 2005 he then was assigned to A co, 8th Engineer Battalion at Fort Cavazos, TX as a Combat Engineer and Team Leader. During this time, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II from March 2004 to March 2005. From July 2005 to July 2008 he was assigned to Special Troops Battalion, V Corps at Heidelberg, Germany where he served as the Mobility/ Counter-mobility/Survivability NCO for the Staff Engineer Section. During this time, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07 from January 2006 to December 2006. From July 2008 to December 2010 he was assigned to 630th Clearance Company, 7th Engineer Battalion at Fort Drum, NY where he served as a Squad Leader. During this time, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from July 2009 to July 2010. He then was assigned to C co, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson, SC as a Drill Sergeant and Senior Drill Sergeant from January 2011 to March 2013. Next, he was assigned to Fort Campbell, KY in several positions: in 326th Engineer Battalion from June 2013 to December 2013 as S3 Assistant Operations Sergeant and 21st Engineer Battalion Platoon Sergeant and Battalion Operations Sergeant from December 2014 to July 2016. During this time, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentential. Then from July 2016 to November 2018, he served as a Combat Engineer OC/T and Senior OC/T with 3rd Battalion, 393rd Regiment (BEB) at Fort Hood TX. Recently, MSG Downing held the rank of First Sergeant and was the First Sergeant of B co, 3rd Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Cavazos, TX where he served from November 2018 to June 2020. He led, trained, and advised his company of one hundred Soldiers in combat engineer and basic Soldier skills resulting in successful rotations to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA in January 2019 and a nine-month rotation to the Republic of Korea from June 2019 to February 2020. 1SG(R) Downing's military education includes Primary Leadership Development Course, Advanced Leaders Course (commandant's list), Battle Staff NCO course, Route Reconnaissance-Sapper course, Explosive Ordnance Clearance Agent Course (EOCA), Drill Sergeant School, SHARP course, MRT course, Senior Leaders Course, Air Assault School, Rappel Master School, Anti-Terrorism Officer Basic Course, First Army Academy OC/T and Counter IED instructor courses, Counter Explosive Hazard Planner's Course. He holds a Master of Science in Facility Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Science from Excelsior College in Liberal Arts. He is also credentialed as a Facility Management Professional (FMP) from IFMA, Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute, ProFM from ProFMI, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified by the Six Sigma Global Institute. MSG Downing's military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), The Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (V Device), Army Commendation Medal (6th Award), Army Achievement Medal (5th Award), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit award (2nd Award), Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 CS), Iraqi Campaign Medal (3 CS), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (4). 1SG(R) Downing is married to Alice Dunn and has three children, Christian (13), Greyson (10), and Abriella (5) and three stepchildren; Adelina (15), Jarred (13), and Azalia (12).