"My Guys Are D*ad Because I Was Selfish" - Medal of Honor Recipient Dakota Meyer

About this video

Ritland interviews a Medal of Honor recipient who recounts his experience returning to combat immediately after losing four teammates in Afghanistan. The guest describes the therapeutic value of returning to missions rather than dwelling on the loss, his bond with Afghan soldiers, and a painful incident where a first sergeant killed his team’s dog. He discusses struggling with survivor’s guilt, feelings of failure, and his journey toward not letting trauma define his identity while still holding himself accountable.

Key takeaways

• Ritland’s guest explains that returning to combat immediately after losing teammates was the best thing for him—avoiding replaying the trauma and maintaining mission focus helped more than going home to funerals.
• The guest describes Afghan soldiers offering to help carry out his fallen teammates, a gesture that deepened mutual respect and gave him renewed purpose to continue fighting.
• The guest wrestles with survivor’s guilt and self-accountability, believing he failed his teammates while also recognizing he cannot let that trauma completely define his life or steal joy from moments with his family.

Episode details: published November 13, 2025 · 38.4K views · 30:36 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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