Major General James M. Dubik hails from Erie, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Gannon University with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1971 and earned an ROTC commission in the infantry as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He graduated from the Infantry Officer's Basic Course and Airborne and Ranger schools at Fort Benning, Georgia, and then was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Major General Dubik served with the 82d Airborne Division from 1972 through 1974 as platoon leader, reconnaissance platoon leader, company executive officer, and brigade staff officer. In 1974, he moved to Fort Lewis, Washington where he served until 1978 with the 2d Ranger Battalion as company executive officer, civil military affairs officer, company commander, and battalion adjutant.

In 1985, he was assigned as the executive officer of the 1st Ranger Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. In 1987, he moved to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii where he served as the Inspector General, 25th Infantry Division, then for two years as the Commander of 5th Battalion, 14th Infantry. In 1990, he returned to Fort Leavenworth to attend the Advanced Operations Studies Fellowship, taught at the Army's School of Advanced Military Studies, and earned a second master's degree in military arts and sciences. In 1992, he became a special assistant to General Gordon Sullivan, Chief of Staff, United States Army where he also held a fellowship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 1994, Major General Dubik commanded the 2d Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. Following command, he was again assigned to the Pentagon as the executive officer to General Dennis Reimer, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. In 1997, he became the Director of Training, U.S. Army in the office of the Assistant Chief for Operations. While the director of training, he completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government's executive program for national and international security. Major General Dubik was then assigned in 1998 as Assistant Division Commander for Support, 1st Cavalry Division. In 2000, Major General Dubik assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks Hawaii. During that time, he completed the National Security Leadership Course at The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, New York.

Major General Dubik has a variety of assignments with specific focus on multinational interactions and transformation. While commanding the 2d Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, he deployed on Operation Uphold Democracy where he served as the commander of U.S. and multinational forces in Northern Haiti. Major General Dubik deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina with 1st Cavalry Division where he was the Deputy Commanding General Multinational Division North and Task Force Eagle. During this tour of duty the latest round of NATO enlargement occurred. He redeployed from Bosnia-Herzegovina on 5 August 1999 and was assigned as Deputy Commanding General for Transformation (TRADOC) at Fort Lewis. His responsibilities included design and implementation of the Army’s Interim Brigade Combat Team. While the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, he helped develop identify the training infrastructure changes that are necessary to train a transformed force. He is currently the Director of Joint Experimentation at U.S. Joint Forces Command. Major General Dubik has authored more than 30 essays, monographs, and articles--twelve of which are specifically on transformation topics.