Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer now a special assistant to Hegseth

Dakota Meyer, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2011 and rejoined the Marines last year after more than a decade as a civilian, is now a special assistant to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the Pentagon.

No information about Meyer’s responsibilities in his new role was immediately available.

Meyer, a sergeant in the Marine Reserve, was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing dozens of U.S. and allied troops in a 2009 ambush in Afghanistan. He left the Marines in 2010. Meyer reenlisted in the Marine Reserve in 2025 and completed the service’s arduous Basic Reconnaissance Course in April.

Meyer’s role in Hegseth’s office appears to be as a civilian. He is classified as a special government employee in his new role while he remains in the Marine Reserve, said Joel Valdez, the Pentagon’s acting press secretary.

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On Monday, Meyer shared photos on social media showing him being sworn into his new job by retired Army Sgt. Maj. Eric Geressy, senior advisor to Hegseth.

“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.”

Reenlisted with ‘more to give’

In 2011, Meyer became the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. Two years earlier, he rescued a total of 36 U.S. and Afghan troops and helped recover four fallen American service…