Staff Sergeant Dustin Michael Wright, age 29, of Lyons, Georgia, died from wounds sustained during combat operations in Niger, Africa on Wednesday, October 4, 2017. Staff Sergeant Wright was born in Toombs County, Georgia and was a 2007 graduate of Toombs County High School in Lyons Georgia. Dustin attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia and Fayetteville State University. Prior to his military service, Dustin was a partner of Southern Rain Control with his Papa Rick (Grisham). He later assumed sole ownership of the business. However, his desire to continue his family’s military legacy led him to join the United States Army in 2012.

After graduating from Advanced Individual Training (AIT) training, Dustin completed Army Airborne School training at Ft. Benning, Georgia followed by completion of the Special Operations Preparation Course (SOPC) in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. His training continued in Fort Bragg where he completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course (SFAS) and culminated in his completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC). Due to his tenacity and commitment, Staff Sergeant Dustin Wright earned the status of United States Army Special Forces and was awarded the coveted Green Beret in 2014. Dustin was serving his third deployment.

Dustin was preceded in death by his grandfather Larry Trull; great-grandparents Charlie Hugh and Lillian Rustin, Arnold Edgar Wright, Sr., and Thaddeus and Dorothy Williamson, and an uncle, Avery Toole.

Sergeant Wright is survived by his father, Arnold Edgar “Ardie” Wright of Lyons; his mother, Terri Trull Criscio & husband A.J. of Brunswick; four brothers, Arnold Edgar “Little Ardie” Wright IV, William Charles “Will” Wright, Zachariah Douglas “Zach” Wright, all of Lyons, & Steven Criscio of Easton, Pennsylvania; paternal grandparents, Sue Rustin Grisham & “Eddie” Wright, Jr. & wife Elaine, all of Santa Claus; maternal grandmother, Elaine Williamson Trull of the Normantown Community; paternal great-grandmother, Helen Wright; aunts, Teresa McCullough & husband Robin of Vidalia, Ginger Russell & husband Justin of Normantown, Michelle Oglesby of Lyons, & Diana Phillips and husband Joseph of Kentucky; uncles, Rustin Wright of Lyons and Jeffery E. Wright of Statesboro; several great-aunts, several great uncles, numerous cousins & friends. 

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