Medal of Honor Recipient Dakota Meyer Reenlists in Marine Reserves

WASHINGTON — Dakota Meyer, a Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Afghanistan War, is reenlisting in the military and will serve in the Marine Reserves, after 15 years out of uniform. Meyer made the announcement during a briefing with reporters on Thursday, prior to a ceremony at the Pentagon.

Meyer, who is now 36, stated he felt he “had more to give” and expressed his desire to serve again. Despite being a prominent critic of the Biden administration, particularly regarding the withdrawal from Afghanistan, he emphasized his commitment to refrain from political discussions while in uniform. “The great part about being in the reserves is I’m still a citizen when I’m not on orders,” he said.

In 2011, Meyer received the Medal of Honor from then-President Barack Obama for his courageous actions during a six-hour ambush in the Ganjgal Valley, Afghanistan, on September 8, 2009. He charged into heavy gunfire multiple times to rescue comrades, ultimately saving 36 lives and killing at least eight Taliban insurgents. His valor during that mission has become legendary among military circles.

Meyer described the harrowing experience, stating, “Dakota and the others who had joined him knelt down, picked up their comrades and — through all those bullets, all the smoke, all the chaos – carried them out, one by one. Because, as Dakota says, ‘That’s what you do for a brother.’”

Four American soldiers died in the ambush: 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25, from Virginia Beach; Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, 30, of Roswell, Georgia; Navy Corpsman James Layton, 22, from Riverbank, California; and Gunnery Sgt. Edwin Wayne Johnson Jr., 31, from Columbus, Georgia. A fifth soldier, Army Sgt. Kenneth W. Westbrook, 41, of Shiprock, New Mexico, succumbed to his injuries later.

After leaving the military, Meyer remained a public figure, marrying Bristol Palin, daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and advocating for various military issues. Recently, he has spoken out about the jailing of Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who criticized the Biden administration’s 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal while still on active duty, violating military conduct regulations.

During the press briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also has ties to former President Donald Trump, was set to formally reenlist Meyer. “I love this country with every moral fiber of my being. I always have,” Meyer said. “The same reason that I joined 20 years ago is the same reason I’m coming back in.”

Meyer is returning as an infantry rifleman, having passed the required Physical and Combat Fitness Tests. He shared that the physical standards have become more challenging over the years, stating, “The standards are higher. The demands are higher.” He expressed confidence in his ability to contribute effectively to his unit.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz noted that he and Meyer had discussed his reenlistment for approximately two years. Meyer specifically requested to meet the same requirements as all other Marines and desired to return to the Corps at his previous rank of sergeant. Ruiz said, “He knows our culture and he knows we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Meyer is eager to immerse himself back into military life, saying, “I’m fully going to immerse into whatever they need me to do.” He wants to demonstrate that he is just like his fellow Marines, ready to perform any task alongside them. Meyer concluded, “I think it’s going to be fine. I don’t know it’s going to be that big of a deal.” To this, Ruiz quipped, “It’s going to be a big deal.”