FORT CARSON, Colo. — Medal of Honor recipient and former Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer visited Fort Carson Aug. 30, 2022, to speak to Soldiers about transitioning out of the Army.
Meyer was awarded the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during a six-hour battle in Kunar Province, Afghanistan Sept. 8, 2009.
But this wasn’t why he was at Fort Carson talking to Soldiers.
Meyer came here to tell his story about transitioning and give advice to Soldiers on what they should do in preparation of transitioning.
He spoke to approximately 500 Soldiers throughout different locations across post.
He transitioned out of the Marines in 2010 and was required to go through a one-week transition assistance program.
It was hard for Meyer to take it seriously because he had the mentality that because he had been to war that the country owed him.
Once Meyer was out, he found that life after the Marines was more difficult than he imagined.
He left the Marines with one plan and that was to go into contracting.
“When I got out, I went into contracting because it was an easy thing to do,” said Meyer. “But I found myself unemployed because I didn’t agree with something the company wanted to do.”
When contracting didn’t work out, he started going to hiring events, meeting employers, building his network and improving himself.
Meyer stressed the point to the Soldiers, they had to do the work to be successful, and they will only get out of it what they put into it.
One piece of advice Meyer gave the Soldiers is they needed to have multiple plans of action because the first plan rarely works and to constantly improve themselves because they don’t know where they will be in two years or four years.
Meyer told the Soldiers about the two-day U.S. National Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring Our Heroes Career Summit coming set for Sept. 21-22, 2022, and said that this would be a great place to begin learning about different jobs, building their network and starting to form their plans for when they leave the Army.
Meyer’s speech about transitioning and what to expect before and after the transition gave Soldiers a better understanding of the process.
“It gave me some ideas on what to look forward to and what to plan for,” said Spc. Timothy Hafford, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “Once I heard his message, it started to become a little clearer that I need to take a little more time to focus on what I want to do.”
Cpl. Christopher Vang, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., said he was nervous about transitioning out of the Army but feels better about it now after hearing Meyer speak.
“It made me feel more confident in getting out,” said Vang. “I feel more comfortable knowing that we are in the same situation and that I can find a job or get the help I need.”
Meyer said that when he speaks to service members, he is very direct and transparent.
“When I stand up there and talk to these service members, I tell them the things that I wish I was told,” said Meyer. “I had people come in and talk to me before I transitioned, and they made it all rainbows and butterflies, and guess what — it ain’t that.”
For more information on the U.S. National Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring our Heroes Career Summit coming up on Sept. 21-22, 2022, visit https://events.hiringourheroes.org/event/741349fb-421d-489a-99a5-189b537e25dc/summary.
Social Sharing