By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Pew PatriotsPew PatriotsPew Patriots
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Reading: Afghanistan Medal of Honor recipient reenlists in Marine Corps Reserve
Share
Font ResizerAa
Pew PatriotsPew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
Afghanistan Medal of Honor recipient reenlists in Marine Corps Reserve
Tactical

Afghanistan Medal of Honor recipient reenlists in Marine Corps Reserve

Jimmie Dempsey
Last updated: April 17, 2025 10:14 pm
Jimmie Dempsey Published April 17, 2025
Share
SHARE

Dakota Meyer, a Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Afghanistan War but later became a sharp critic of the Biden administration over its chaotic withdrawal from that conflict, has reenlisted in the military and will serve in the Marine Corps Reserve.

In a briefing with reporters Thursday before the ceremony, Meyer said he is returning to military service after 15 years out of uniform because he felt he “had more to give.” He’s also close to President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who administered the oath to Meyer at the Pentagon and hugged him afterward.

But Meyer said he would refrain from politics 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. “When I’m on orders I’ll comply obviously with whatever the standard is.”

Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest honor, by then-President Barack Obama in 2011 for his heroics in Afghanistan when he charged five times in a Humvee into heavy gunfire to rescue comrades under attack by Taliban insurgents.

On Sept. 8, 2009, Meyer was part of a security team supporting a patrol moving into a village in the Ganjgal Valley. Suddenly, the lights in a nearby village went out and gunfire erupted. About 50 Taliban insurgents on mountainsides and in the village had ambushed the patrol.

His actions during the six-hour attack and firefight saved the lives of 36 people, both Americans and Afghans. He killed at least eight Taliban insurgents. Firing from a gun turret on top of a Humvee driven by a fellow Marine, he provided cover for his team, allowing many to escape likely death.

Four American soldiers died in the ambush: 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25, from Virginia Beach, Virginia; Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, 30, of Roswell, Georgia; Corpsman James Layton, 22, of Riverbank, California; and Edwin Wayne Johnson Jr., a 31-year-old gunnery sergeant from Columbus, Georgia. A fifth man, Army Sgt. Kenneth W. Westbrook, 41, of Shiprock, New Mexico, died later from his wounds.

After leaving the military, Meyer remained in the spotlight. In 2016 he married former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, and they had two children.

He’s been outspoken about the jailing of another Marine — Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller — who criticized the Biden administration for the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan in social media posts while in uniform, which is a violation of military conduct.

About Tara Copp, AP

Tara Copp is a Pentagon correspondent for the Associated Press. She was previously Pentagon bureau chief for Sightline Media Group.

Read the full article here

You Might Also Like

Trial starts over Trump’s deployment of National Guard to LA

Top 6 Brand-New Guns In 2025 That’ll Blow You Off!

Jammed and confused: Alaska trial shows pitfalls of fielding US drones

Some airmen face delayed PCS moves because of funding problems

VA drops secondary review rule for community care medical appointments

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We Recommend
Kimmel slams CBS over Colbert cancellation, rips into Trump as a ‘delicate, chubby little teacup’
News

Kimmel slams CBS over Colbert cancellation, rips into Trump as a ‘delicate, chubby little teacup’

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 3, 2025
Controlling Your Expectations
Bessent: “We May Declare A National Housing Emergency In Fall”
Sydney Sweeney ‘casually’ dating Scooter Braun after ending engagement: reports
Round Up: Firearm Lubricants And Gun Oils
Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley touts importance of Week 1 matchup against Bills
The unseen toll of antisemitism: How hate leaves lasting scars on Jewish children
News

The unseen toll of antisemitism: How hate leaves lasting scars on Jewish children

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 3, 2025
Elon Musk opines on ‘major driver of white males becoming trans’
News

Elon Musk opines on ‘major driver of white males becoming trans’

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 3, 2025
Help Wanted: US must fill lots of ships-and-chips jobs to beat China
News

Help Wanted: US must fill lots of ships-and-chips jobs to beat China

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 3, 2025
Pew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
  • Guns and Gear
2024 © Pew Patriots. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?