Colonel Steve Dondero is a native of Vineland, New Jersey and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps in 1995 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland.

Over the past 27 years, he has served in various command and staff positions in Army, Joint, andCombined (NATO) assignments in support of peacetime, combat, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, and counter-drug/counter transnational organized crime operations. He served in numerous staff positions including, Aide-de-Camp, S3, S4, Secretary of the General Staff, G4, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and J4. His commands include HHC, Area 1, Republic of Korea; Headquarters and Alpha Company, 82nd Forward Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Iraq; Army Field Support Battalion-Bliss, Fort Bliss, Texas, in support of 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, and White Sands Missile Range; and Crane Army Ammunition Activity, Joint Munitions Command, Indiana.

COL Dondero's education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Loyola College, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Navy War College. His military education includes the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course, the Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, the Combined Arms Services and Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Navy War College.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Parachute Rigger Badge, and the Australian Parachutist Badge.