Dakota Meyer, the Medal of Honor recipient who built his name on battlefield courage rather than Beltway chatter, has taken on a new role as a special assistant to War Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the Pentagon.
The War Department did not immediately release details about Meyer’s exact duties, but his placement inside Hegseth’s orbit sends a clear signal. This is not another résumé padder from the think tank swamp.
Meyer, a sergeant in the Marine Reserve, was awarded the Medal of Honor after risking his life during a brutal 2009 ambush in Afghanistan.
He rescued dozens of American and allied troops and helped recover fallen U.S. service members under Taliban fire.
He left the Marines in 2010, then stunned plenty of people by reenlisting in the Marine Reserve in 2025.
In April, he completed the Marine Corps Basic Reconnaissance Course, a 12 week gut check that is not exactly designed for men looking for easy applause.
Meyer’s new role appears to be civilian in nature. Joel Valdez, the Pentagon’s acting press secretary, said Meyer is classified as a special government employee while he continues serving in the Marine Reserve.
On Monday, Meyer posted photos to social media showing retired Army Sgt. Maj. Eric Geressy, a senior adviser to Hegseth, swearing him into the new position.
The images captured something Washington could use a lot more of, actual service instead of theatrical posturing.
“Raising my right hand and taking the oath again was a reminder that service is a lifelong commitment,” Meyer wrote in a Monday social media post.
“I don’t take that responsibility lightly, and I’m committed to serving our Service Members, their families, and the American people to the very best of my ability.”
That kind of language may sound foreign to the permanent class in Washington, where service often means cashing in after a few committee hearings.
For Meyer, it has meant Afghanistan, the Marine Corps, the reserves, and now a role supporting Hegseth’s leadership at the War Department.
In 2011, Meyer became the first living Marine since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor.
His actions in Kunar Province two years earlier included rescuing 36 U.S. and Afghan troops and helping recover four fallen Americans after Taliban fighters ambushed his unit.
Although Meyer was no longer in the Marine Corps when he received the Medal of Honor, he later chose to return to the uniform.
That decision alone separates him from the consultant class that loves talking about sacrifice from a climate controlled conference room.
“I realized I had more to give,” Meyer told reporters in April 2025.
“I love this country with every moral fiber of my being. I always have. The same reason that I joined 20 years ago is the same reason I’m coming back in. I’ve just got more to give, and it’s just such an honor to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the men and women wearing the nation’s cloth today.”
After coming back in as an infantry rifleman, Meyer earned the Reconnaissance Marine military occupational specialty by completing the demanding Basic Reconnaissance Course. That course is famous for breaking down excuses, which makes Meyer’s achievement even more notable.
Meyer has said he is honored to serve under Hegseth, whom he described as a friend. He also thanked Geressy for giving him the chance to take on the new assignment.
Geressy, in a separate post, praised Meyer for “once again answering the call” to serve the country. It was a fitting description for a Marine whose public life has repeatedly circled back to duty.
“For someone who has already given so much in service to our Nation, seeing Dakota once again raise his right hand and swear to continue serving the American people and our Service Members was both humbling and inspiring,” Geressy wrote.
For Hegseth, bringing Meyer into the fold adds another combat proven voice to a War Department that badly needs warrior instincts at the top.
President Trump’s national security team has made clear that lethality, readiness, and respect for the troops are back in style.
Meyer’s move is not just another Pentagon staffing note.
It is a reminder that some Americans still believe service is not a phase, a slogan, or a campaign prop, but a lifetime obligation to the country and the warriors who defend it.
