More than a decade and a half after earning a Medal of Honor, Dakota Meyer reenlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, with his oath administered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
DOD Rapid Response announced on April 17, “Dakota Meyer has repeatedly answered the call of duty. On September 8th, 2009, Dakota bravely fought in the Battle of Ganjgal, where he saved THIRTY-SIX Marines and Afghan soldiers. He earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery. Today, He has decided to put his Country first again and has REENLISTED into the” Marines.
Dakota Meyer has repeatedly answered the call of duty.
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) April 17, 2025
On September 8th, 2009, Dakota bravely fought in the Battle of Ganjgal, where he saved THIRTY-SIX Marines and Afghan soldiers. He earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
Today, He has decided to put his Country first… pic.twitter.com/7jn1VM5OGL
Meyer, who is reportedly close with combat veteran Hegseth, has not been on active duty for 15 years but told reporters he still has “more to give.”
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The Congressional Medal of Honor Society relates Meyer’s remarkable story from Afghanistan in 2009. Then-Corporal Meyer “maintained security at a patrol rally point” while other team members and two platoons of Afghan National Army and Border Police were moving into a village called Ganjgal on foot to meet village elders before dawn. Unfortunately, a force of over 50 terrorists ambushed the patrol and bombarded them with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns from their hiding places in houses and fortified positions on nearby inclines.
Hearing over the radio that four U.S. team members were cut off, Corporal Meyer seized the initiative. With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner’s position in a gun-truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in a daring attempt to disrupt the enemy attack and locate the trapped U.S. team. Disregarding intense enemy fire now concentrated on their lone vehicle, Corporal Meyer killed a number of enemy fighters with the mounted machine guns and his rifle, some at near point blank range, as he and his driver made three solo trips into the ambush area.
Meyer and his driver in two trips successfully evacuated two dozen Afghan soldiers, many of whom had been injured. And after one machine gun became inoperable, Meyer coordinated a return to their rally point to obtain a different gun-truck so they could make a third trip into the area where the fighting occurred.
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Meanwhile, his “accurate fire directly supported the remaining U.S. personnel and Afghan soldiers,” who were still trying to battle their way out of the ambush.
Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area in a third gun-truck accompanied by four other Afghan vehicles to recover more wounded Afghan soldiers and search for the missing U.S. team members. Still under heavy enemy fire, he dismounted the vehicle on the fifth trip and moved on foot to locate and recover the bodies of his team members. Corporal Meyer’s daring initiative and bold fighting spirit throughout the 6-hour battle significantly disrupted the enemy’s attack and inspired the members of the combined force to fight on.
Now, more than two decades after receiving the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military honor, Meyer has reenlisted in the Marine Corps. Heroes like him ensure that we can all live in peace and liberty through their sacrifices.
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