Colonel Leon J. Dodroe is the Commander of the 188th Operations Group, 188th Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, located at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Colonel Dodroe is a graduate of Washington State University. He enlisted in the Army in 1993 and served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1995, he was selected for pilot training and received his commission through Officer Candidates School. Upon completion of Flight School in 1996, he was assigned as the Fixed Wing Platoon Leader for the Southern European Task Force (SETAF) in Vicenza, Italy. There he flew missions in support of Bosnia, Kosovo, and Northern Iraq.
In 2000 he was assigned to Fort Huachuca, where he attended the Military Intelligence Officers Advance course and became the Chief of RC-12D Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) training. He transitioned to the Arizona Army National Guard in 2003 and held a number of positions including Battalion Intelligence, Plans, and Operations Officer. In 2006, he transitioned to the Army Reserves as Commander of C Company 6/52 Aviation Regiment. In 2008/2009 he deployed to Iraq and commanded Bravo Troop Task Force ODIN, then became the Liaison Officer at the Combined Air Operations center in Doha Qatar. In 2010 he transitioned to the Arizona Air National Guard, 214th Reconnaissance Group. In the 214th he filled a variety of leadership roles in the Reconnaissance Squadron including Flight Commander, Director of Operations, and Squadron Commander.
Colonel Dodroe is a command pilot with over 4,300 hours in manned and unmanned ISR platforms.