Everyone makes sacrifices throughout their lives, but some take this a step further.
Not because they have to, but they feel that they have a duty to do so and this is what Chief Warrant Officer Kent Dawson has done for his country. Dawson retired from active duty on April 30.
According to Dawson’s father Charles Dawson, Kent Dawson enlisted in the Army in March 1988 as an Army parachute rigger and upon graduating from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., and the parachute rigger course at Fort Lee, Va., he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, Mass.
Kent’s next assignment took him to Fort Bragg, N.C., with the Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate. As a research, development, test, and evaluation non-commissioned officer.
He was instrumental in numerous new equipment and validation tests for parachute and life support systems.
These tests include the Guided Parafoil Aerial Delivery System-Light. He was handpicked by the manufacturer to train 40 Australian officers and enlisted personnel on packing, rigging and programming of the GPAD-L.
Additionally, he was involved with the C-17 aircraft static line certification and numerous other tests directly attributing to the capacity and safety of the entire airborne community.
In July of 1997, Dawson was assigned to the 24th Quartermaster Detachment in Vicenza, Italy. As the maintenance section shop foreman, He developed the standard operating procedure for the American – Italian Parachute Rigger Exchange Program.
He coordinated all training and logistical support for six exchanges resulting in the successful training of over 45 Italian officers and non commission officers on american rigger techniques. He also sponsored three National Guard annual training rotations by establishing a memorandum of instruction.
In May of 2000, Dawson was selected to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School and graduated in December 2000 as a warrant office One.
He’s held a wide variety of assignments at the company, battalion, and staff level.
His key Warrant Officer assignments include positions in the 612th Quartermaster Company, Fort Bragg 10th SFG (A), Fort Carson, Colo,, the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School, Fort Bragg and the 7th SFG (A), at Ft. Bragg and remained with 7th Group when they relocated to Eglin AFB, Fla. His numerous positions within the special operations community culminated with his assignment as the U.S Special Operation Command airdrop advisor.
Dawson has participated in numerous combat and contingency operations at all levels throughout his career.
During his first assignment with the 10th Special Forces Group, he deployed twice to Northern Iraq and Turkey in support of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Provide Comfort I and II and twice to Brindisi, Italy, in support of operations in Bosnia.
While assigned to the Southern European Task Force, Vicenza, Italy, he supported operations during the Kosovo Air Campaign and later participated in a “show of force” airborne operation into Bosnia for Operation Rapid Resolve II.
As a Warrant Officer his recent combat tours include Operation Iraqi Freedom I, III, and V and Operation Enduring Freedom XIII and XVI.
CW4 Dawson’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak leaf clusters, Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Military Free-fall Parachutist Badge, the Parachute Rigger Badge, and numerous foreign parachutist badges and campaign medals.
He is the son of Charles F. Dawson and the late Dorothy M. Dawson of Great Bend he graduated from Great Bend High School in 1985. He is married to the former Kelli Nairn also from Great Bend. They have two daughters, Karlie, age 11 and Kelsey, age 24.