Michael Lee Dodson (born November 16, 1945) is an American politician who served as a
Republican member of the
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...
, representing the 67th district from 2021 to 2025.
Dodson was elected to two full terms in the Kansas House of Representatives, defeating
Democrats Cheryl Arthur and Kim Zito in 2020 and 2022 respectively.
Dodson is a general manager for
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation () is an American engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company founded in San Francisco, California in 1898, and headquartered in Reston, Virginia in the Washington metropolitan area. , the '' E ...
, the largest construction company in the United States. He is a retired
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
and had previous political experience as a city commissioner and mayor of
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city in and the county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County, Kansas, Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big ...
(2015–2018). On May 23, 2024, Dodson announced he would not seek re-election to the Kansas House.
Committee membership
Dodson serves on four
legislative committees in 2024:
* Elections
* Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
* Insurance
* Financial Institutions and Pensions
Early life and education
Michael Lee Dodson was born in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
, where his mother was staying with his aunt's family while his father was serving as a bomber pilot with the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
. After his father was discharged from
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
service, they moved back to
Colville, Washington
Colville is a city in Stevens County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,917 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Stevens County.
History
John Work, an agent for The Hudson's Bay Company, established Fort Colvile near ...
. Dodson graduated from
Colville High School and then enrolled at the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
. He enlisted in the Army during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
and was commissioned as a field artillery officer in 1968. Dodson later earned an M.S. degree in operations research and systems analysis from
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant coll ...
. He is also a graduate of the
Army Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
and the
National War College
In the United States, the National War College (NWC) is a school within the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active.
History
The National ...
.
Military career
Dodson received fixed-wing and rotary flight training at
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a United States Army post located primarily in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was formerly named in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel, an Army aviator and Medal of Honor recipient. It was previously nam ...
in Alabama. He was deployed to Vietnam twice, first with the 334th Armored Helicopter Company and then with the 2nd Battalion,
20th Aerial Rocket Artillery,
1st Cavalry Division.

In peacetime, Dodson commanded C Battery, 2nd Battalion,
1st Field Artillery Regiment and then 3rd Battalion,
16th Field Artillery Regiment
The 16th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served with the 4th Division in World War II and with the 4th and 8th Divisions between the World Wars. As the 16th Armored Field Artillery ...
in
Baumholder
Baumholder () is a town in the Birkenfeld (district), Birkenfeld Districts of Germany, district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, in the Westrich, an historic region that encompasses areas in both Germany and France. The town of Baumholder is the a ...
,
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
. During
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, he commanded the
1st Infantry Division Artillery. Dodson later served as commanding general of the
III Corps
III or iii may refer to:
Companies
* Information International, Inc., a computer technology company
* Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company
* 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company
Other uses
* I ...
Artillery at
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost .
The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...
in Oklahoma and then of
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
in Kansas.
As a lieutenant general, he served as commander of the
Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Stabilisation Force (SFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian War. Although SFOR was led by NATO, several non-NATO countries contributed troops. It was replaced by EUFOR Alth ...
from September 8, 2000, to September 7, 2001, and then as deputy commander of
U.S. Army Europe and the
Seventh Army from September 17, 2001, to November 4, 2003.
Dodson's military decorations include two
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the ...
s, two
Army Distinguished Service Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...
s, a
Silver Star Medal
The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an ...
, a
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...
, four awards of the
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...
, two
Distinguished Flying Crosses, four
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...
s, four
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
Singapore
*Pingat Jasa Gemilang, or Meritorious Services Me ...
s and forty-five
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Criteria
The Air Medal was establi ...
s.
Personal
Dodson is the son of Tom Dodson and Shirley Elizabeth (Wylie) Dodson (January 12, 1925 – September 19, 2014). They were married on January 12, 1945, in
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the most populous city in Whitman County, located in southeastern Washington within the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. The population was 32,901 at the 2020 census, and estimated to be 32,508 in 2022. Originally founded as ...
. Dodson has a brother and a sister.
Dodson is married to Diane Dodson and they have three adult children.
See also
*
List of mayors of Manhattan, Kansas
The following is a list of mayors of the city of Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America.
List of mayors
* A.J. Mead, c.1857
* Elisha Madison Thurston, c.1858-185* Robert Bruce Spilman, c.1870
* Thomas Hunter, c.189* A.M. Story, c.189* G ...
References
External links
Kansas Legislature - Michael DodsonProject Vote Smart profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dodson, Mike
1945 births
Living people
People from Oklahoma City
People from Colville, Washington
University of Washington alumni
United States Army soldiers
American Senior Army Aviators
United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Recipients of the Air Medal
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Silver Star
Kansas State University alumni
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
National War College alumni
United States Army personnel of the Gulf War
Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
United States Army generals
Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Politicians from Manhattan, Kansas
Mayors of places in Kansas
Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives
21st-century members of the Kansas Legislature