About Our PMS

Lieutenant Colonel Dax E. Burroughs

For just the third time since 1968, a decorated military alum has taken the helm of the Army ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. LTC Dax Burroughs returns to campus and his hometown as the new department chair and professor of military science.

LTC Burroughs, who replaces LTC Wendy Tokach, was born and raised in Stevens Point. He enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as a combat engineer in 1998 and joined the UW-Stevens Point Army ROTC program in 2001. LTC Burroughs received his commission in the active service in December 2004 and graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Political Science while earning the Chancellor’s Leadership Award.  

“I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to positively impact the organization and community that successfully started me out in my military career and impacted my entire adult life in such beneficial ways,” said LTC Burroughs. “The stars aligned and I find myself in what I consider the right job, at the right time, in the right location.”

After graduating from UW-Stevens Point, LTC Burroughs attended the Ordnance Officers Basic Course at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, and subsequently was assigned to the 194th Maintenance Battalion Camp Humphries, Republic of Korea where he served as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic Platoon leader and then the Ground Support Equipment Platoon Leader in the 520th Maintenance Company.  

Upon return from the Republic of Korea, LTC Burroughs was assigned to the 187th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where he served as a Company Executive Officer in C Co. He later took command of A Company under the same battalion and then deployed to Region Command East, Gardez Afghanistan as a Provincial Reconstruction Team Supply Officer. Following this deployment, LTC Burroughs returned to the 187th Ordnance Battalion and served as the Battalion Operations Officer.  

LTC Burroughs attended the Military Intelligence Captains Career Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, as well as the Brigade Intelligence Officers Course. He was then assigned to the Headquarters, Headquarter Battery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and served as the battalion Intelligence Officer. Just prior to his second deployment, LTC Burroughs was reassigned as the battalion Intelligence Officer to the 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and deployed to Khost province in Afghanistan. Upon returning from this deployment, LTC Burroughs took command of the Military Intelligence Company under the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. After relinquishing command, he was reassigned to serve as the assistant professor of Military Science at Loyola University Chicago.  

Upon being promoted to the rank of major in 2015, LTC Burroughs relocated to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, to attend his Intermediate Level Education as an exchange officer with the Air Force at the Air Command and Staff College. There he received a Master of Military Operational Art and Science degree.  LTC Burroughs then relocated to Yongsan, Republic of Korea, where he was the Deputy Chief of Engagement and Policy for the Special United States Liaison Advisor Korea. Completing that assignment LTC Burroughs transitioned to be the Brigade Intelligence Officer at the 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade (MFTB) at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, and then to the Battalion Executive Officer position within the 1st Battalion 310th Regiment, Brigade Engineer Battalion within in the 181st MFTB.

LTC Burroughs’s career came full circle in June 2020 when he was selected to lead the Army ROTC Northwoods Battalion and became the 21st professor of military science at UW-Stevens Point. The two previous alumni to return to the program as the senior officer were LTC Ralph Sliwicki ’84 in 2000-03 and LTC Ed Ripp ’89 in 2003-05.

I daydreamed about being here in this capacity, but knew the odds were slim at best, and yet here I find myself after 16 years of service and travel spanning the globe,” said LTC Burroughs.

LTC Burroughs’ awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army Achievement medal (4 OLC), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault badge, the German Armed Forces Badge (Gold), and the Norwegian Military Foot March Badge (Bronze).