Colonel Edward I. Wexler is a native of Savannah. He attended public schools, graduating from Savannah High School. He graduated from the Citadel in 1968 with a degree in Political Science. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force, serving on active duty as a Munitions Maintenance Officer with assignments to Colorado and a three-year tour in Taiwan, Republic of China. While in Taiwan he was officer-in-charge of a major air munitions maintenance, inspection and storage facility.
Col Wexler left active duty in 1972 and was employed by the Georgia Department of Labor. In 1974 he joined the 165th Airlift Wing as the Air Intelligence Officer. He has been employed as a full-time air technician since 1975. In 1978 he was promoted and reassigned as a Squadron Maintenance Officer and Maintenance Control Officer in the C130E/H aircraft. In 1987 he was again promoted and assigned as Commander, 165th Mission Support Squadron. He served as commander of the 165th Maintenance Squadron beginning Oct 1992. In Jan 1996, he was reassigned to the position of Logistics Group Commander. In June 2000 he became the Wing Vice Commander. He became the Human Resources Officer for Georgia in Nov 2003.
Col Wexler has deployed around the world in support of Air Force missions to such locations as Korea, Egypt, Rwanda, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Curacao, Italy, England, Germany and Bosnia. He served for two years as chair of the ANG C-130 Logistics Council, representing over twenty-two C-130 wings on the national level. At state level, he commanded Air National Guard personnel deployed to Southwest Georgia during the devastating floods of 1994. He was also a venue officer for the sailing events during the Centennial Olympic Games in Savannah in 1996.
Col Wexler received his Master’s Degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University. He is a life member of the Air Force Association (AFA). He served as president of the Savannah Chapter AFA and as Georgia State President for three years. He also served two years as a National Director of the Air Force Association and is once again serving AFA as a National Director. He completed the two-year Leadership Savannah Program sponsored by the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.
In 1997 he received an Air National Guard Team Excellence Award as wing team chief in the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Team Excellence Competition. He is a life member of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum, and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees. He currently serves as president of the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation and Vice President of the National Guard Association of Georgia.
Col Wexler is a graduate of the Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and the Air War College (by correspondence). His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Georgia Distinctive Service Medal. Col Wexler is married to Lt Col Mary W. Wexler, (ANG Nurse Corps retired). They have three children, Susan, Sara, and Sharon Ashley and two grandchildren.
