After a 15-year break in service, Sgt. Dakota Meyer, who received the Medal of Honor in 2011 for his actions in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province in 2009, has re-enlisted within the Marine Corps Reserve.
On Thursday, Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth administered Meyer’s oath of enlistment.
On Friday, the 36-year-old Meyer spoke with Fox News, telling “America’s Newsroom” that his choice “comes from a deep sense of unfinished responsibility and a need to encourage others to serve.”
“There’s by no means been a greater time to serve our nation than proper now,” Meyer shared.
“There’s by no means been a necessity, like we’d like proper now, of excellent women and men who’re keen to face up and who’re keen defend the beliefs of the American individuals, of the Structure, and to guard all of these issues in opposition to no matter enemy that’s keen to attempt to step up and to try to threaten that.”
From The Department of Defense:
Throughout remarks simply previous to readministering the oath, Hegseth mentioned that — although Meyer didn’t request such a high-profile ceremony — the secretary felt he wished individuals to acknowledge the instance Meyer was setting.
“[We’re doing] this as large as we are able to as a result of I would like the American individuals, I would like your fellow Marines [and] I would like different service members to have a look at [your] instance and [know] you’re by no means too outdated, you’re by no means too skilled [and] you’ve by no means finished an excessive amount of to contribute; and I salute you,” Hegseth instructed Meyer.
The secretary additionally identified that prior-service Marines, like Meyer, coming back from the civilian world is uncommon.
“It’s not frequent follow that issues like this happen, however you confirmed unusual valor and proceed to point out unusual dedication,” Hegseth mentioned.“And, right here on the Protection Division, we’re grateful for you,” he added.
Meyer, who mentioned there’s “in all probability not been a day” since he left energetic responsibility in 2010 that he hasn’t considered returning to the uniform — and who needed to go a pair of bodily and fight health exams earlier than being allowed to reenlist — credit realizing he nonetheless had extra to provide to his nation with motivating him to lastly undergo that prolonged course of.
“I like this nation with each fiber of my ethical being — I at all times have,” Meyer instructed members of the media previous to the ceremony.
Watch Meyer’s remarks to Fox Information:
