He also served as Director General of Defence Public Affairs (2008–10) and, from 2010 to 2013, was Australia's first Military Representative to NATO and the European Union.
Following his retirement from the army, Dawson joined the Australian War Memorial where he has served as Assistant Director, National Collection since December 2017.
[1] Dawson entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon as an Australian Army officer cadet in January 1973.
[2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Military Studies from the affiliated University of New South Wales in December 1976 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps.
[1] As a lieutenant colonel, Dawson deployed to Mogadishu as Senior Staff Officer Plans on Headquarters United Nations Operation in Somalia II in October 1993.
[4][8] Following his retirement from the army Dawson was, from May to October 2013, part of a consultant project team that designed a plan for a grain harvest management scheme for the New South Wales Department of Transport.
[4] In December that year, he joined the Australian War Memorial as Executive Manager Anzac Centenary Travelling Exhibition.