Colonel Dennis Dougherty entered the United States Army 5 June 1969. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, 19 June 1970. Duty assignments overseas for first three years include: Staff Officer in the Training Division of the Office of the Deputy Chief-of-Staff Operations United States Army Europe, Platoon Leader in Company C, 2nd Battalion, 6th United States Infantry, Berlin Brigade and as the Executive Officer of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the Berlin Brigade. He received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army in August of 1973 as a First Lieutenant. | Colonel Dougherty joined the New Jersey Army National Guard in November of 1973 and was promoted to Captain in November of 1976. He served in the 5-117th Cavalry in Westfield until September of 1982. | As a member of the Cavalry Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Dougherty served in a variety of staff and command positions. In October of 1982 Colonel Dougherty was transferred to Headquarters 50th Armored Division as Assistant G-4 and promoted to Major. In this capacity he was in charge of logistical planning and operations with specific responsibility for the division troops and mobilization planning. He served in this position until October, 1984. Colonel Dougherty was appointed Executive Officer of the 50th Maintenance Battalion in November, 1984 and helped to transition the unit into the First Forward Support Battalion. In February, 1987 Colonel Dougherty was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assigned the position of Security Plans and Operations Officer of the 50th Armored Division Support Command. He remained in this position until October of 1988 when he was assigned Command of the 250th Main Support Battalion. | As Commander of the state’s largest battalion, Colonel Dougherty was responsible for providing Combat Service Support to all elements of the 50th Armored Division.  During this time period he also reorganized the 250th Main Support Battalion into the 50th Main Support Battalion. After four successful years of command, Colonel Dougherty was appointed Executive Officer of the 50th Armored Division Support Command. On 1 May 1993, Colonel Dougherty was reassigned as the Troop Commander and promoted to Colonel. | Colonel Dougherty's military education and training includes: the Armor Officers Advance Course, Fort Knox, Kentucky and the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He earned a BS in Education from East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in 1968 and a MA in History from Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey in 1979. | Colonel Dougherty’s military awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Army Commendation Medal (3 awards), Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), United States Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, United States Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2 awards), United States Reserve Component Achievement Medal (3 awards), New Jersey Medal of Honor, New Jersey State Service Ribbon, New Jersey Desert Storm Support Medal, New Jersey Medal of Merit, Governor’s Outstanding Unit Award (3 awards), Governor’s Unit Strength Award, and the Expert Infantryman Badge. | In civilian life Colonel Dougherty is an educator for the Union Country Regional High School District #1 Board of Education, as a Social Studies teacher at the Jonathan Dayton Regional High School in Springfield, New Jersey. In 1989 Colonel Dougherty was honored by being named Union Country History Teacher of the Year by the Crane’s Ford Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.  He is also a member of Phi Alpha Theta (National History Honor Fraternity) and Phi Delta Kappa (National Educational Honor Fraternity). Colonel Dougherty serves as the Historian of the 117th Cavalry Association. | Colonel Dougherty is an active member in the following civic organizations:  Troop Committee of Boy Scout Troop 73, Westfield Soccer Association and Westfield Wrestling Association.