Lieutenant Colonel Jarod Dicks is a native of Plant City, Florida and graduated from Plant City High School in 2004. He attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in International Relations in 2008. Upon graduation, he earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and reported to The Basic School (TBS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA to complete training.
Following TBS, Second Lieutenant Dicks reported to NAS Pensacola, FL for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination in March 2009. He completed Primary flight training in the T- 34C Turbo Mentor at NAS Whiting Field, FL and completed Intermediate and Advanced flight training in the T-45C Goshawk at NAS Meridian, MS. First Lieutenant Dicks then reported to VFA-122, the “Flying Eagles,” at NAS Lemoore, CA for initial training in the F/A-18 Hornet.
After training, Captain Dicks received orders to VMFA-115, the “Silver Eagles,” at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina in November 2012. In this squadron, he served as Embark Officer, Scheduling Officer, Ground Safety and NATOPS Officer, and Airframes Division Officer. Captain Dicks deployed with VMFA-115 to Isa Air Base, Bahrain, and then to a Unit Deployment Program across the Western Pacific region.
In June 2016, Captain Dicks reported to Marine Special Operations Company K, Third Marine Raider Battalion in Stone Bay, NC to serve as a Forward Air Controller. He deployed as the Air Officer for the Special Operations Command and Control Element – Sahel and Maghreb, in support of Special Operations Command Africa in 2016 and in 2017.
In June 2018, Captain Dicks reported to MCAS Miramar, CA to serve as an Instructor Pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101. He held the billets of Adjutant, Assistant Air to Air Phase Head, and Fleet Training Officer. In December 2019, Major Dicks graduated the US Navy Fighter Weapons School TOPGUN.
Major Dicks was then assigned to the “Death Rattlers” of VMFA-323 in August 2021, and subsequently completed the US Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 1-22. During this tour, Major Dicks served as the Operations Officer and Aviation Maintenance Officer. In June 2022, Major Dicks deployed with the Death Rattlers to Eastern Europe, to execute NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission in response to an evolving security situation.
In August 2023, Major Dicks reported to the Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration in Quantico, VA to serve as the Fixed Wing Requirements Officer. Upon his selection for command of VMFA-311, Lieutenant Colonel Dicks was ordered to VFA-125 in March 2024 to complete conversion flight training for the F-35C Lightning II.
Lieutenant Colonel Dicks has accumulated more than 1,700 flight hours. His decorations include the Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Third Award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (Third Award), and various personal, unit and service awards.