May 26, 2015
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New Highland RFCA Chief Executive Mark Dodson was introduced to staff at the organisation’s Seathwood HQ in Dundee today.
Brigadier Dodson (pictured, above) takes over from Colonel AK Miller who has retired after eight years in charge.
Over lunch he introduced himself and spoke of his inclusive management style, his gratitude for the hard work of staff across HRFCA and his intention to make incremental changes to the organisation.
Brigadier Dodson commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders in 1979, serving with them in Edinburgh, Inverness, Ballater, Northern Ireland, Belize and Germany, and including two years as OC 22 Cadet Training Team in Aberdeen.
He attended the Army Staff College in Camberley in 1991 and went from there to be Deputy Chief of Staff 4th Armoured Brigade and Osnabruck Garrison. The final six months of this posting was spent in Bosnia on Op GRAPPLE 3, for which he was awarded the MBE.
He commanded D Company of The Highlanders on amalgamation in 1994, undertaking tours in South Armagh and Londonderry, and was Commanding Officer of The Highlanders from 1998-2000 in Catterick, Canada, USA and Northern Ireland.
Tri Service staff appointments have included MA to CBF Hong Kong in the lead up to the handover to China, SO1 J5 Plans in PJHQ and most recently as Defence Attache in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Other staff appointments have included MA to the Adjutant General and Colonel MS (A) at the Army Personnel Centre.
As a Brigadier he commanded Multi National Task Force North West in Banja Luka, Bosnia Herzegovina from 2004/5. As Deputy Commander London District from 2005-2007 he was de facto regional brigade commander, responsible for training, operations and administration of most regular, reserve and cadet units within the M25. As TA and Youth ‘Champion’ he worked closely with RFCA Greater London to deliver community engagement, employer support, recruiting and cadet matters.
After a brief spell as ACOS Personnel at HQ Land, merging it with DPS(A), he moved to the Army Personnel Centre as Deputy Military Secretary, steering it through the implementation phase of a major reorganisation and introduction of JPA. His final tour in the Army was as Defence Attache in Oman.
Brigadier Dodson has been Representative Colonel of 4 SCOTS and Chairman of The Highlanders Trust from 2005-2010, Vice Chairman of the Army Winter Sports Association from 2007-2008 and Chairman of Army Alpine Skiing from 2009-2010.
A keen skier and sportsman, he is a regular runner and enjoys playing cricket when the weather permits. He is happily married to Kirsty and they have four children.
