Dakota Meyer

Rex/Shutterstock

Details

Height:
6' 1"
Hometown:
Columbia

Bio:
Dakota Meyer (born Dakota Louis Meyer in Columbia, Kentucky on June 26, 1988) is a United States veteran of the Marine Corps and the War in Afghanistan. Dakota deployed to Iraq in 2007 as a scout sniper with the Marines. He gained national attention for his heroic actions after his second deployment. In September 2009, Dakota was alerted that four of his close friends and Marine squad were missing, and entered the area in Iraq, where the missing members were presumed to be. He eventually found the servicemen dead, but made efforts to move them to a safer area where they could be found. During his search for the men, Dakota also evacuated 12 wounded soldiers, and provided cover to over 24 Marines so that they could escape the dangerous war zones. Following his actions in Iraq, the veteran received the Medal of Honor in September 2011, awarded to him by President Barack Obama. Post service duty, Dakota penned a book, Into the Fire: A First Hand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War, detailing his time in the service. He also joined a reality competition show in 2013, Maximum Warrior, where he performed 10 military-inspired challenges. As of 2015, Dakota sits on the advisory board for VETPAW, an organization of the U.S. Military veteran dedicated to protecting African wildlife.

Best Known For:
Dakota Meyer is best known for being awarded the Medal of Honor on September 15, 2011. He is the second youngest, living recipient of that honor. He is also recognized for his relationship with former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol Palin.

Personal Life:
Dakota Meyer tied the knot with Bristol Palin on June 8, 2016. The couple originally got engaged in March 2015, but called the wedding of in May. In December 2015, Bristol gave birth to her daughter Sailor Grace. Shortly after her birth, Dakota was confirmed as the child’s biological father. Prior to getting married, Dakota checked himself into a facility for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder after he attempted suicide at a friend’s house.