History of the U.S. Marine Corps Noncommissioned Officer 1958-Present
History Of the U.S. Marine Corps Noncommissioned Officer 1958-Present
Noncommissioned Officers are the backbone of the Marine Corps. Each leader is vastly different from the other. Some Marines enjoy being a corporal only because of the increase in rank and pay. A few become the tactless leaders junior Marines try to avoid. Fortunately, many others mature into Marines who strive to become the leader that other Marines wish to emulate. They know what it means to be a good leader. Those Marines have the traits of a leader; they get to know their Marines; and they adhere to a sound leadership style. This paper will discuss the story of Dakota L. Meyer, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Corporal of Marines during Operation Enduring Freedom. A brief introduction to Dakota L. Meyer before we start on the details of what he did in combat. Dakota Meyer was born June 26, 1988, and is a United States Marine Corps veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009, part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He is the third living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored. Meyer was born in Greensburg, Kentucky in 1988, where he grew up and attended school. In 2006, after graduation from Green County High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Louisville, Kentucky and was sent to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. After completing training to be a United States Marine he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a Scout Sniper with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines. He gained national attention for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment in Kunar province with Embedded Training Team 2-8. On September 8, 2009, near the village of Ganjgal, Meyer learned that three U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman were missing after
Noncommissioned Officers are the backbone of the Marine Corps. Each leader is vastly different from the other. Some Marines enjoy being a corporal only because of the increase in rank and pay. A few become the tactless leaders junior Marines try to avoid. Fortunately, many others mature into Marines who strive to become the leader that other Marines wish to emulate. They know what it means to be a good leader. Those Marines have the traits of a leader; they get to know their Marines; and they adhere to a sound leadership style. This paper will discuss the story of Dakota L. Meyer, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Corporal of Marines during Operation Enduring Freedom. A brief introduction to Dakota L. Meyer before we start on the details of what he did in combat. Dakota Meyer was born June 26, 1988, and is a United States Marine Corps veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009, part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He is the third living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored. Meyer was born in Greensburg, Kentucky in 1988, where he grew up and attended school. In 2006, after graduation from Green County High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Louisville, Kentucky and was sent to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. After completing training to be a United States Marine he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a Scout Sniper with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines. He gained national attention for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment in Kunar province with Embedded Training Team 2-8. On September 8, 2009, near the village of Ganjgal, Meyer learned that three U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman were missing after
References: Behind the Cover: An exclusive interview with Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor nominee. 2010. Retrieved from: http://militarytimes.com/blogs/battle-rattle/2010/11/15/behind-the-cover-an-exclusive-interview-with-dakota-meyer-medal-of-honor-nominee/ Heroism in ambush may yield top valor awards. 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/08/marine_moh_080110w Profile: SGT. DAKOTA L. MEYER, USMC. 2010. Retrieved from http://www.marines.mil/community/Pages/MedalofHonorSgtDakotaMeyer-Profile.aspx Marine to receive Medal of Honor next month. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27well.html