Just prior to that though , he got a four-day pass — taking Brianna to Gatlinburg where they got married . That in itself may not be so unusual but that they kept it a secret definitely was .
“ The idea being that we ’ d have a ceremony when I got back and everybody would think it [ the wedding ] was then ,” Dustin said .
“ We got married and two days later , they [ Dustin ’ s unit ] left ,” Brianna added . “ It was really short notice , so we just went and did it .”
The second ceremony for family and friends wasn ’ t to be . Just a few months into his deployment , the truck that Dustin had been riding it was struck by a suicide bomber , and the secret was out when the Red Cross reached Dustin ’ s father — asking him for help in contacting Dustin ’ s wife .
Dustin Barnett is shown receiving his Purple Heart . | PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Dustin had been 17 in 2008 when he told his mother that he wanted to be soldier . He wasn ’ t set on any
particular branch but chose the Guard because of the
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