Dustin was born and raised in the sprawling metropolis of Ty Ty, Georgia (pop. 644). Soon after graduating high school, he enlisted in the US Army. The majority of Dustin’s time in the military was spent serving with Able Company of 3- 509th Airborne Infantry Battalion, including a stint in the Karmah district of Fallujah, under the designation Task Force 3-509 (TF 3-509). The time spent in Fallujah would prove to be among the most formative months of Dustin’s life.

During a 3-month period, from late December 2006 to mid-February 2007, Al Qaeda attacked TF 3-509 ninety-four times with direct fire, sniper attacks, indirect fire, and Improvised Explosive Devices. The battalion conducted 1,018 combat patrols and prevented dozens of additional attacks. In April 2007, TF 3-509 was targeted by Al Qaeda in what became the largest attack in the area. Four of the five outpost manned by the battalion were simultaneously targeted by suicide car bombs, mortars, and small arms fire. The repulsion of that attack proved to be a critical victory and was heralded by local citizens. The US Army awarded TF 3-509 a Valorous Unit Award for service in Al Anbar Province in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit was also honored by the US Marine Corps with authorization to wear the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force patch as Shoulder Sleeve Insignia- Former Wartime Service. The soldiers of the battalion remember the price paid for their successes in Al Anbar. Able Company alone suffered seven soldiers killed in action between January to February 2007. Overall, TF 3-509 suffered thirty casualties in just the first few months of that year. In the summer of 2007, the battalion left Fallujah and was sent south to Babil Province, where they were awarded a 2nd Valorous Unit Award for their actions over the rest of the year. Dustin’s experiences during this 13-month combat deployment ultimately served as the catalyst for his pursuit of a career in medicine.

After his military service, Dustin earned a B.S. in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University and his MD from Morehouse School of Medicine. He is continuing his medical education with Morehouse School of Medicine’s Internal Medicine Residency Program and is currently a PGY-3. Outside of work, Dustin enjoys hiking, sports, comics, video games, and most of all, spending time with his wife, Cari, and dog, Cooper.