Dustin was raised in Missouri, where his love for the outdoors began through hunting and fishing with his grandfather. After graduating high school in 2002, he worked as a diesel mechanic before answering the call to serve during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He completed Infantry Basic Training at Fort Benning and was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. Dustin deployed to Iraq in 2005, where his unit experienced frequent combat and IED attacks. He was medically retired from military service in 2008.
After leaving the Army, Dustin pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from Auburn University. During this time, he became a SCUBA instructor, which also led him to meet his wife of more than 12 years. He later earned a master’s degree in fisheries biology in 2019, conducting Army Corps of Engineers–funded research on fish passage at low-head dams. Dustin currently works with the USDA researching fish diseases and lives in Auburn, Alabama.
Deeply committed to service, Dustin is actively involved with several nonprofit organizations that help veterans and children connect with the outdoors, build skills, and support emotional well-being, including Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, The OARS Foundation, A Hero, The Mayfly Project, and the National Whitetail Warrior Project.
