Mr. Dodson retired as a Master Sergeant from the US Army after a successful 20 year military career. He spent 16 years serving as a Special Forces operator, serving first as a Special Operations Weapons Specialist before becoming an Operations and Intelligence Specialist. During his career, he has deployed on numerous Counter Terrorist, Counter Narcotics, and Foreign Internal Defense missions to a variety of countries including but not limited to: El Salvador, Honduras, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Afghanistan. Prior to joining Special Forces, he served four years as a reconnaissance scout and sniper in the army’s “Guard of Honor,” the 82nd Airborne Division. Since his retirement he has continued to serve as a consultant to the Department of Defense, deploying often to Iraq as an Asymmetric Warfare and Counterinsurgency advisor.

His Military education includes:

• Airborne School
• Static Line Jumpmaster
• Special Forces Qualifications Course (Distinguished (honor) Graduate)
• Combat Diver Qualifications Course
• Dive Supervisors Course
• Special Forces Operations and Intelligence Course
• Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course
• Ranger School (Merrill’s Marauder Leadership Awardee)
• Spanish Language Course (Honor Graduate)
• the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape High Risk Training Course
• DOD High Risk Survival Training and DOD Hostage Survival Training
• Jungle Warfare Training Course
• Scout Reconnaissance and Surveillance Course
• Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course
• Close Combat Instructor Course

His Awards and Decorations include:

• Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Army Commendation Medal (4 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Achievement Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award)
• National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award)
• Army Service Ribbon
• Global War on Terror Service Medal
• Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 3)
• Expert Infantryman’s Badge
• Parachutist and Master Parachutist Badge
• Parachutist and Master Parachutist Badges from four foreign countries (Royal Australian Parachutist Badge, German Parachutist Badge, Ecuadorian Master Parachutist Badge, Peruvian Parachutist Badge)
• Combat Diver Badge
• Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Former Wartime Service
• the Special Forces Tab and the Ranger Tab