About Leo

 After AIT he was off to his Duty Station in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Where he was placed in the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Dunson trained with his unit for a year and a half, before being deployed to Iraq in August 2005. The unit deployed to Mosul, Iraq. Duties of the unit during deployment included numerous patrol operations, searches for weapons caches, and counterinsurgency operations. Dunson was promoted to Sergeant in Country effective date 1 July 2006. 

The 172nd Stryker Brigade along with Dunsons’ tour was to have ended on 27 July 2006, but the U.S. Army unexpectedly extended the deployment until the end of November 2006. During the extension, the unit was sent to Baghdad to quell growing sectarian violence concerns. The infamous extension of the deployment had happened after some of the units of the Brigade were already touched down at their home base of Ft Wainwright, AK, forcing them to fly back to staging areas in Iraq. The extension occurred after the unit’s regular 12-month tour was complete, making the deployment last for a total of 16 months. As a result of the unit’s action in Iraq, the brigade was awarded the Valorous Unit Award. SGT Dunson re-enlisted in Iraq completing his first full term of service. He also attended (WLC) previously called Professional Leadership Development Course (PLDC) in Fort Richardson, Alaska in September 2007. Shortly after returning home from War in Iraq, Leo was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As a result Dunson received a Honorable Discharge for his first term of service and General Under Honorable Conditions discharge for his second term of service.