force ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁G . I . ▁Joe ▁Team ' s ▁maintenance ▁expert , ▁and ▁operator ▁of ▁the ▁hi - tech ▁battle ▁cycle ▁" M ara uder ". ▁His ▁real ▁name ▁is ▁Richard ▁Ren wick , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁first ▁released ▁as ▁an ▁action ▁figure ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁D od ger ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁surv iv or ▁of ▁the ▁incident ▁that ▁killed ▁the ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁Battle force ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁transport ation ▁special ist ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Son ic ▁F igh ters . ▁ ▁Dog f ight ▁Dog f ight ▁is ▁the ▁G . I . ▁Joe ▁Team ' s ▁M ud fig h ter ▁pilot , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁first ▁released ▁as ▁an ▁action ▁figure ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁pack aged ▁with ▁the ▁M ud fig h ter ▁bom ber . ▁His ▁real ▁name ▁is ▁James ▁R . ▁King , ▁and ▁his ▁rank ▁is ▁that ▁of ▁ 1 st ▁Lieutenant , ▁US AF ▁O - 2 . ▁Dog f ight ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Prov idence , ▁Rh ode ▁Island . ▁ ▁Dog f ight ' s ▁primary ▁military ▁special ty ▁is ▁M ud fig h ter ▁pilot , ▁and ▁his ▁secondary ▁military ▁special ty ▁is ▁electron ics ▁techn ician . ▁The ▁combination ▁of ▁his ▁un c anny ▁depth ▁per ception , ▁precise ▁hand / ey e ▁coord ination , ▁and ▁powerful ▁throwing ▁arm ▁got ▁him ▁perman ently ▁forb idden