JAMES L. DAWSON
Universal City,Tx
Summary
Project Manager and Senior Strategic Communications leader with 25+ years of proven experience in the Department of Defense (DoD). I am a highly driven person with a continual desire to learn. I will make any organization or team that I am a member of successful and valuable to any business. I always work my hardest to make my skillset better today than it was yesterday. I possess extensive knowledge and experience in multi-functional program manager, data center management, stabilizing leadership and problem-solving, and leading tactical & strategic level communications systems.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
ServiceNow Administrator Hiring Our Heroes Fellow
Texas General Land Office
, Texas
09.2025 - Current
- Lead technical and analytical support with the cloud-based platform for internal and external organizational IT workflows, knowledge management, service catalog requests, incidents, and changes
- Managed Knowledge Articles that served as word documents or PDFs that served as a set of instructions, FAQs, policies, or procedures to meet the IT needs of customers and end users, making the process of workflows better
- Provide technical and analytical support to customers and end users through Azure DevOps that allowed leadership to track important data, which contributed to the broader impact of the organizational work
- Record, review, and implement standard operating procedures for ServiceNow and Azure DevOps ensuring compliance and continuity of IT workflow operations
- Serve as the Operational Technology Expert and trusted ServiceNow advisor to all divisions within the Information Technology Service department
Senior Military Equal Opportunity Advisor/Network Operations Chief
United States Army Medical Command
Fort Sam Houston, Texas
01.2023 - 09.2025
- Managed military equal opportunity policies for over 18,000 military and DoD civilian personnel, Perform executive-level advisory, mitigation, remediation, and response to equal opportunity and human relations matters
- Manage policy development and command climate survey analytics; sustaining or improving organizational culture and climate
- Deploy and Manage Mobile Device Management of a new Mobile Device contract for 200 user end devices
- Develop Remote Network Extension for 35 users, consisting of multiple networks and security levels, monitor and audit system to mitigate risk
- Documenting/Discussing lessons learned from cyber incidents, major projects, and exercises
- Reported, Troubleshooting and repair of hardware and network connectivity issues
- Planned and executed IT/Communications 5 small unit deployments, and 3 large-scale readiness exercises
- Develop the Cybersecurity/IT policies and standards, intertwine to fit within organizational strategic goals
- Managed 7 large scale IT projects, kept all projects on time, exceeded expectations of CEO on all projects
- Managing lifecycle replacement of IT equipment and IT infrastructure, upgraded 65% of end user devices in 2 years
- Directly Managed 7 military and 3 contractors, maintained high productivity, low turnover, positive work environment
Network and Security Operations Director
Army Forces Command
Fort Hood, Texas
07.2020 - 12.2022
- Managed all future & current operations for the organization; enabling large-scale communications support to the base
- Validated Equipment and Network / Satellite Configurations for the organization's Communications Teams before deployment
- Trained Teams on Cyber Incident Detection and Response for use while deployed in austere environments
- Created and Managed the Common Operating Picture (COP) at the Battalion level for 3 joint exercises, ensuring all systems, networks and traffic could be monitored in an easy to digest method for battlefield commanders
- Directed and ensured cross training of personnel to ensure no gaps in coverage of jobs during turnover
- Planned and executed 3 Battalion validation exercises training and certifying 250 Soldiers for deployment
- Managed and supervised 64 tasks ensuring all internal and external suspense and requirements were met.
Network Communications Director
Army Forces Command
Fort Bliss, Texas
07.2017 - 07.2020
- Planned and Executed the Network Operation of 3-month unit deployment to Europe to support multi-national partners
- Oversaw all satellite communications network operations within a 5-country area for 23 teams of communicators
- Planned and architected the network for deployment of 156 pieces communications and support equipment
- Planned and conducted a 14-day self-sustaining Company Satellite Communications Field Training Exercise
- Developed the training plan for the one-year overseas deployment of his six teams to provide a 99.8% service uptime
- Oversaw the local support of 8 signal support missions: providing a 99.3% service uptime
- Oversaw the tasking and completion of 273 tasks to subordinate organizations
Senior Leader Advisor
US Army Pacific Command
Fort Shafter, Hawaii
03.2014 - 07.2017
- Responsible for the Operations, Maintenance, and Reporting of 2-Heavy Satellite Terminals, 7-Medium Satellite Terminals, and 2-Regional Hub Nodes; and all other Communications OT equipment valued in excess of $70 million
- Monitored and consistently evaluated 150 Satellite Communications Links over all terminals providing live Communications and Control to people in active combat, maintaining a 99.95% reliability uptime rating
- Developed a secure logging system and a Commander's Critical Information Reporting process, streamlining incident tracking and notification procedures
- Developed 25 Policies/Procedures, oversaw the addition to the first policy governing the Regional Hub Nodes
- Created and continuously updated the daily status and Preventive Maintenance Checks Status far surpassing DISA's minimum required maintenance
- Planned and Conducted 12 Authorized Service Interruptions spanning 26 hours and over 500 links throughout 7 countries to ensure proper maintenance of the Heavy Satellite Terminals
Network Operations Chief / Senior Satellite Planner
US Army Pacific Command
Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii
12.2012 - 03.2014
- Performed Primary Satellite Network Monitoring for 3 Government Satellites, ensuring the health, security, and availability of the communications network was 100% for the duration of service
- Performed Satellite Scans for 80 government satellites to baseline and monitor for hostile attacks on the network
- Performed Analysis, Response and Reporting for hostile network access, performed remediation within the job role, performed escalation procedures when necessary
- Planned and Validated 2400 satellite missions, ensured accuracy and availability of communications networks
- Performed orbital planning and orbital commanding for 2 Government Satellites
- Performed emergency satellite commanding to ensure the safety, security, and survival of military satellites
- Performed satellite network monitoring for 650 active satellite links, performed network load balancing, and reconfiguration as necessary
- Performed Communication OT Management/Installation of racks, switches, routers, and all cabling (fiber and Ethernet)
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Leadership & Workforce Development
Command & General Staff College
11.2022
Master of Science - Business Ethics & Organizational Leadership
Trident University International
09.2024
Skills
- Information Systems Management
- Risk Management
- Project Management
- System Administration
- Leadership & Workforce Development
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- Satellite Communications
- Networking
- Talent Management & Team Development
- Data Center Leader
- Active Secret (SCI) Clearance
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
- Active Directory
- Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
- IT Service Management (ITSM)
- Remedy
- Azure DevOps
- MS Office
- Excel
- Word
- PowerPoint
- Problem Solving
- Analytical Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Ability to Work Independently
- Ability to Work in a Team
- Assessment Documentation & Reporting
- Verbal & Written Communications
- Business Acumen
Certification
- Secret / SCI Clearance, Active
- Project Management Professional, Currently Enrolled
Training
- United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, 9 months
- Senior Leadership Course, 12 weeks
Timeline
ServiceNow Administrator Hiring Our Heroes Fellow
Texas General Land Office
09.2025 - Current
Senior Military Equal Opportunity Advisor/Network Operations Chief
United States Army Medical Command
01.2023 - 09.2025
Network and Security Operations Director
Army Forces Command
07.2020 - 12.2022
Network Communications Director
Army Forces Command
07.2017 - 07.2020
Senior Leader Advisor
US Army Pacific Command
03.2014 - 07.2017
Network Operations Chief / Senior Satellite Planner
US Army Pacific Command
12.2012 - 03.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Leadership & Workforce Development
Command & General Staff College
Master of Science - Business Ethics & Organizational Leadership
Trident University International