Rusty Dunagan

Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Rusty Dunagan has lived a life marked by unwavering service, profound sacrifice, and enduring strength. Inspired by a deep-rooted patriotism and further galvanized by the attacks of September 11, 2001, Rusty enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 2006, fulfilling a lifelong calling to serve his country.

After completing Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, Rusty was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, 1st Brigade, 1-66 Armor Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed twice in support of the Global War on Terror, serving with exceptional courage and commitment alongside his fellow soldiers.

On September 21, 2010, during his second deployment to Afghanistan, Rusty was conducting a combat patrol when he encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) rigged to a landmine. The blast threw him 20 meters into a creek, instantly amputating both legs above the knee and his left arm at the elbow. Remarkably, Rusty remained conscious and was able to call out to his team, who pulled him from the water and administered life-saving care under fire.

He was medevacked to Kandahar Airfield, then Bagram Airbase, and later transferred to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where he awoke from a coma. His recovery continued at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center, where he endured over 40 surgeries and battled serious infections with unmatched resilience.

Rusty medically retired from the Army on April 1, 2013, and began a new chapter of service—this time as a passionate advocate for fellow veterans. From 2015 to 2018, he served as the Military Liaison and Veterans Affairs Caseworker for Congressman Steve Russell in Oklahoma’s 5th District, helping ensure that veterans in his community received the support they had earned.