Sgt. Dakota Meyer and President Barack Obama grab a beer together in the Rose Garden, a request that Meyer made when he was informed that he was going to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sgt. Meyer is the first living Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

Meyer, a corporal at the time, went against orders to save a dozen Marines and two platoons of Afghan army troops who were ambushed by over 150 enemy combatants. With the help of Staff Sgt. Juan Rodriguez-Chavez and Captain Ademola D. Fabayo, Meyer made five trips into the ambush to save 36 men, and to bring home the bodies of three Marines and a Navy corpsman.

Dakota, I know that you’ve grappled with the grief of that day; that you’ve said your efforts were somehow a “failure” because your teammates didn’t come home. But as your Commander-in-Chief, and on behalf of everyone here today and all Americans, I want you to know it’s quite the opposite. You did your duty, above and beyond, and you kept the faith with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps that you love.

—President Obama