Major Dodge is a native of northern NH, studied Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Military Institute and commissioned in May of 2007. Upon completion of TBS he reported to MATSG-21 in July of 2008 and was temporarily assigned to the Red Dogs of HMLA-773 Det A in NAS JRB New Orleans. Major Dodge was designated a Naval Aviator in March of 2011 and received orders to HMHT-302 at MCAS New River to train on the CH-53E.
In September of 2011, Major Dodge reported to HMH-461 and was immediately sent to Enhanced Mojave Viper 1-12 for training. In February of 2012, Major Dodge participated in Bold Alligator 12 aboard the USS Wasp. In January 2013, he deployed with HMH-461 ADVON to Bastion Airfield in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). While deployed, Major Dodge was designated a Helicopter Aircraft Commander. Upon return from OEF, he completed TACP School at EWTGLANT and checked into 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, for duties as the Battalion Air Officer. Throughout his time with 2/6, Major Dodge was the sole FAC/JTAC in the battalion and responsible for all air planning. Major Dodge participated in Bold Alligator 15 as the BLT Air Officer aboard the USS Kearsarge, multiple battalion field exercises, a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation, and a Mountain Warfare winter package in Bridgeport, CA. During this period, he accumulated 74 controls and 54 assault support movements utilizing 10 different T/M/S aircraft.
Major Dodge checked back into HMH-461 in March of 2015 as the Airframes OIC. He served as the senior Assault Support Planner for MEF Exercise 15, and as a lead planner during Operation Rogue Viper and Serpent Guardian with NSWG-2. After attending WTI 2-16, he served as the Operations Officer and WTI for Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 4-16. Following ITX, Major Dodge assumed duties as the CH-53E WTI in VMM-365(REIN) under the 24th MEU. In October of 2016, the 24th MEU sent the CH-53E detachment aboard the USS Mesa Verde to Haiti in support of Disaster Relief Operations. The ACE transported 887 passengers and 206,514 lbs of cargo and cross-decked to the USS Iwo Jima before rotating out to resume pre-deployment training. Major Dodge spent several weeks in Israel as the ACE liaison and lead planner for the bi-lateral exercise Juniper Falcon. In March of 2017, Major Dodge deployed to the CENTCOM / 5th Fleet Area of Operations aboard the USS Bataan where he was promoted to Major. During this deployment, Major Dodge worked closely with SOCAFRICA and was the Assault Support Liaison and Flight Lead for the NSWG Crisis Response Element.
Returning to CONUS in October, Major Dodge reported to TTECG in December as an Assault Support / TACP Evaluator. He then returned to WTI in September to complete the Air Officer course. Major Dodge trained and evaluated Marines over the course of 14 ITXs and helped build the foundation of air support for the first four MAGTF Warfighting Exercises; a force-on-force exercise involving over 10,000 personnel.
In August 2020, Major Dodge reported to HMH-366 and served as the Operations Officer for ITX 3-21, his 17th exercise in Twentynine Palms. In December of 2021, he assumed the duties of Executive Officer in which he currently serves.
Major Dodge has over 1,500 mishap-free flight hours; qualifications and designations include Air Officer WTI, CH-53E WTI, Assault Flight Lead, and Air Mission Commander. Personal decorations include the strike/flight Air Medal with numeral 4, Navy Commendation Medal with gold star, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star.