Dawson Primes is currently serving his third year as Director of the Tangipahoa Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.  Prior to this position, he was appointed by the Louisiana Army National Guard to serve the LRA Louisiana Recovery Authority as the Liaison to the community for the FEMA contractors developing the Long-Term Community Recovery Plan.  Mr. Primes served as the National Guard Liaison to the State for Tangipahoa Parish during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  He is a graduate of Amite High School in 1990.  His college educational achievements include a Licensed Practical Nursing degree from Louisiana Technical College in 1995. 

He has been serving his country in the Louisiana Army National Guard for the past 16 years.  He currently serves as Platoon Sergeant for the Combat Medical Section for the Headquarters support Company of the 205^th Engineer Battalion in Bogalusa.  He has served as Project Supervisor for hurricane response and recovery overseas in Honduras, Belize, Panama, and Guatemala.  Dawson served 6 months in Hoensfeld, Germany.  He served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan for 13 months on Anti-Terrorist Task Force ARES attached to the French Special Forces.

During his 14 year service, Dawson has received many decorations, awards, and citations.  He is only 1 of 6 soldiers since World War II to be awarded the French Croix de Guerre awarded by French Special Forces during his tour of duty in Afghanistan.  He was also named the Louisiana Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year 2004.

 He is a very active member in the First Baptist Church of Amite where he serves as a deacon.  Dawson has been happily married for 11 years, and they have 2 children Kyle - 8 and Caleb – 1 and he enjoys coaching little league baseball which he has done for 12 years.