Dusty was born Dustin Alan Turner to Linda & Arch Turner on February 7, 1975. From the very beginning he was a fast learner and overachiever- he was nonstop from the time he took his first steps at age 8 ½ mos.  He was a happy child, growing up in the Midwest in a loving family and home.   

Dusty’s parents divorced when he was a baby and by the time he was two years old both had remarried. He lived with his mother, her husband Larry Summitt (his stepfather) and his four siblings: his brother Matthew, his stepsister Heather, and his two half-brothers Jason and Tyler. His father lived nearby and spent time with him as well. Dusty was raised in the same home where his mother still resides today. His family could best be described as all-American, close-knit with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and an extended family playing an integral role in his life.

Growing up, Dusty had a wide circle of friends and led an active lifestyle. He was a good student and participated in many extracurricular activities, including Spanish classes starting in third grade. In high school, he took on the role of a cadet teacher, teaching at Clear Creek Elementary, the same school he had attended as a child.

Dusty was involved in various sports, including cross-country, baseball, basketball, football, and swimming. He particularly excelled in swimming.

His family attended a small church, Clear Creek Christian Church, where Dusty became a Jr. Deacon and found great joy in serving the congregation. He also became active in scouting, where he embraced every aspect of the program: tying knots, camping, fishing, archery, and acquiring many other practical skills. When his two younger brothers joined the scouts, Dusty helped lead their unit, teaching and guiding the younger boys through their activities. Even as a young man, Dusty was and remains a devoted son and brother. Despite his challenges, he has been a strong role model, not only for his nieces, nephews, and cousins, but also for many of the younger inmates he interacts with. To this day, he lives a disciplined and purposeful life, even under challenging circumstances.

By the time Dusty reached his junior year of high school, he had already decided that he wanted to join the Navy and either become a diver or a Navy SEAL. His family had a strong tradition of military service. Both his father and stepfather served in Vietnam, and his uncles, Jack and Duane Baker, were paratroopers in the Army. His great-uncles and grandparents had served in World War II and the Korean War. Dusty was determined to continue his family's legacy of service to our country. One of his uncles, Charles W. Clark, had been a Green Beret and died in combat. Dusty’s older brother had already joined the Navy and was serving in Hawaii at the time, making the Navy a career and serving in various capacities. His ship was among the first sent to fight the Taliban after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Coincidentally, Dusty’s brother was a Rescue Swimmer and later became a dive and rescue instructor.

Dusty’s Navy basic training took place in Orlando, Florida. From there, he moved to “A” school in Pensacola, Florida, where he underwent specialized training for all Navy recruits. Dusty chose to pursue photography, but his drive and determination ultimately led him to apply for and be accepted into, the elite SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land) program. At just 18 and a half years old, he became one of the youngest individuals ever accepted into BUD/s (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training), and upon completing his training, he became the youngest member of the Navy Special Warfare (NSW) program at that time.

Linda Summitt—Dusty’s Mother