Before the ocean swallows the light and the hatch seals shut, every submariner carries one thing below the surface — their story.

For Petty Officer 2nd Class Dustin Peterson, a native of Justin, Texas, serving as a fire control technician, that story began in the halls of Ponder High School, sparked by a decision to change course and seek a new purpose.

“I joined the Navy to change the path my life was on,” Peterson said. “It was a chance to reset, challenge myself and find something greater to be part of.”

Today, that decision has taken him aboard USS Springfield, a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine forward-deployed to Guam.

From small-town Texas to the silent depths of the Pacific, Peterson’s journey has always been driven by grit, resilience and a commitment to personal growth

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