Dakota Meyer, a former Marine sniper scout, will receive the Medal of Honor from President Obama Sept. 15 for heroism he demonstrated during combat operations in Afghanistan in September 2009. Meyer, of Columbia, Ky., will become the third living recipient of the nation’s highest decoration for valor in combat in Afghanistan. He will become the third Marine to receive the honor since the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan began. Combat records show that Meyer earned the accolade by braving fire from machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and sustaining shrapnel wounds to his right arm, in order to evacuate more than 15 Afghan soldiers and recover the bodies of four U.S. service members who were killed in action in a firefight. He was attached to Embedded Training Team 2-8 at the time, holding the rank of corporal. Meyer has since left the service, and is now a sergeant in the inactive ready reserve.
