Dakota Meyer

My home life, growing up, was like tumbling inside a washing machine as I shuttled around the middle of Kentucky with my mother. She was never content to stay in one place, or with one man, for too long. She was as smart as she was independent, though, and always landed some job that brought in a little money.

ISIS targeting the U.S. military is like a sheep targeting a lion.

When I got out, there weren't too many job opportunities for snipers.

A sniper's primary goal is to eliminate ground threats for U.S. guys on the ground. Is that what a coward is? A person whose goal is to save the lives of his warrior brothers?

You got to do what's right.

When I came back, I tried to live independently. In the Marine Corps, we're taught as a team, so why would you think you're going to get out of the military and live independently and not rely on your support system around you?

I don't see that anyone owes me anything for my service. I don't feel any sense of entitlement.

I did all right in school, especially in math.

It doesn't matter how big of a company you have: I always tell people that you are one job away from being broke. And if you don't live that way, you'll be broke.

Being in the Marine Corps and doing the job I did, there is a lot of risk involved. It made me comfortable with risk.

Everything in our lives revolves around our jobs, as much as we hate to say it. Where we live at, where our kids go to school, what we eat, what lifestyle we live, depends on the income we bring in and being able to provide for your family, and that's your employment.

I don't care anything about being a Medal of Honor recipient, but if I can use that to help veterans get jobs, I will.