Medal of honor recipient says he’s not a hero
Rhonda Smyth - Rhonda's Remarks
The state of Kentucky is honored to have among its natives Dakota Meyer of Columbia, Ky., a recipient of the highest honor bestowed on military personnel, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Twenty-three year old Meyer was very courageous when he headed into enemy fire to rescue soldiers who were ambushed and trapped by enemy combatants in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan in 2009.
In one interview Meyer said he wasn’t a hero, he was just doing his job.
When I think about how very young 23 is, and what a mature attitude this man, who is not long out of his teens exhibits, it made me proud that he was born and raised in this state. He grieves the loss of four friends who died that day and appears to be unchanged by the receipt of this high honor he richly deserves.
At only 18, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. at a recruiting station in Louisville. He served in Iraq as well as Afghanistan.
Other military decorations he received include a purple heart, Navy and Marine Corps commendation medal “V” for valor, Navy and Marine Corps. achievement medal and good conduct medal, combat action ribbon, national defense service medal, Afghanistan campaign medal with a bronze star, Iraq campaign medal with a bronze campaign star, global war on terrorism service medal, sea service deployment ribbon, NATO ISAF afghanistan medal and a rifle expert badge and a pistol expert badge.
I hate this war, all wars really, but I have so much pride, love and hope for the future of our military. This young man embodies what all soldiers should strive to be.
As I heard this news, it brought to mind our brave Kentucky National Guards recently deployed in harm’s way once more.
If you pray, whenever you pray, don’t forget them.
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I have lots of reasons to be proud of my family. Just about every one of my nieces and nephews have either been to college or are currently in college. Two of my nieces are school teachers, one of them teaches elementary school science to deaf children on the campus of Galludet University in Washington DC; one of my nieces teaches high school chemistry and biology at Danville Christian Academy and is currently taking classes to get her master’s degree; one of my nieces is the pre-school/special eduction specialist for Fayette County schools and holds two masters degrees; her husband is a health teacher and football coach at George Rogers Clark High School and holds a masters degree; one of my nieces is a senior English major at Eastern Kentucky University and one of my nieces is a first year music major at Morehead State University.
I also have a great nephew in his first year of college in Indiana.
My son, who put his college education off for awhile is now in his third semester at EKU studying computer science. My daughter, who is a displaced worker, is now attending classes at Bluegrass Community Technical College majoring in medical records technologies.
My younger sister is an elementary music teacher and her husband is a teacher and high school band director and teaches classes at Northern Kentucky University, both have masters degrees. My younger brother is an electrical engineer/maintenance manager at Square D. My older sister went to Kentucky Bible College and her husband graduated from there and recently retired from the state of California where he was a social worker who worked with mentally handicapped adults. My older brother went to EKU and vocational school and is now an equipment wholesaler.
I am the only child my parents had who didn’t attend college. My only claim to any kind of education is three weeks at journalism boot camp at Georgetown College.
What I have learned about my job I have learned from the people with whom I have worked.
Education is so important. Just ask anybody who is out of work, trying to get a job.
When I hear about some one dropping out of high school, it makes me sad. When I graduated from high school in 1967, all you needed to get a pretty decent job was that high school diploma.
Not so now. Some of the simplest, lowest paying jobs require a degree now. I guess that must be because there are so many people looking for work right now.
Stay in school. You’ll be glad you did some day.