I’m Clinton Romesha, Medal of Honor recipient and author of Red Platoon, the true story of the 14-hour firefight at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan.

Do you remember the time I mooned you and Raz playing horseshoes at Manas coming back from OEF and the Air Force Cop saw it from a mile away and rolled us up into the squad car?

Yes way to get us in trouble, Brother how have you been I have not heard from you in ages?

Thank you for doing the AMA. I'm looking forward to reading your book. Do you have any words of encouragement for soldiers who struggle with contemplating suicide?

Thank you for your question. For those that might be struggling with suicide is to know that as soldiers we always have our battle buddies there for you and will have them always

Thank you for your service!

Traditional Reddit nonsense question: Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses, or one horse sized duck?

both if I have air support

Thank you for your service. What are some of your hobbies when not writing?

Watching cartoons with my 5 and 7 year olds

How do you adjust to civilian life here in the States after coming back from warzones, death, destruction, and the strict/structured military life? Especially considering the way many Americans don't feel that we are really "at war" at all in that it doesn't effect civilian life as wars in the past have. Is there some kind of counseling/debriefing/group therapy that you go through? Thank you for your service.

Edit: words

For me what went on in Iraq or Afghanistan can always stay there. I didn't need to bring it back to the states with me and I made the choice to leave it there. Ever person is unique on how the might deal with something, not one pill or one way will work on everyone. For me I talk with the men I served with, warriors helping warriors goes along ways.

Congratulations on the book. It looks like it's getting very well reviewed.

How have you adjusted to life since the event?

Thank you. Life is an everyday adjustment. It is always important to keep in mind that we must live everyday to improve ourself or someone around us.

Thank you for your service. Are there other military books that inspired you to write your own story? Did you find yourself trying to read other books in the genre before you started your own book?

I honestly stayed away from reading most military books from Iraq and Afghanistan. One I did read was Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, to see how he laid out a very drawn out timeline of events was helpful in laying out our 13 almost 14 hour fire fight. But when I was overseas I was living it everyday I staid away from the reminder of reading what I was living.

hey brother. thanks for doing an AMA with us. If you ain't cav....

Army leadership knew from the start that COP Keating was in a highly vulnerable position with it being at the bottom of a tall valley. From what I've seen your freedom of maneuver was extremely limited as well. What was done at the troop level to try and mitigate those limitations?

There's also been a lot of talk about the ANA forces that were at COP Keating. once the engagement kicked off, all accounts say that they completely abandoned half the out post and ran off, allowing taliban forces to breach the perimeter. were there any precursors that indicated something bad was about to go down?

You aint S#%$!

We attempted to chance our react to contact drills on a almost daily basis, moved battle position around of the ones we could, moved force pro shifts and time around, and shifted stand 2 hours.

From the first day we got to COP Keating the daily report was we were going to get attacked by 75 to 200 AAF. So 3 months being there crying wolf was getting old.

Thank you for your service! How did you grow such a luxurious beard/mustache combo? Please share your secrets to bearded glory.

Bud Light foam and laziness

Way to fight the fight soldier, I have trouble contemplating what 14hrs of fighting is like. OIF Vet 06-07 here. When did you realize that this wasn't going to be a normal day, normal engagement?

What do you do now that you're home, what do you put your energy into and what things do you rally behind to find purpose after living on such extreme moments? Everything seems bland, like the world lacks flavor.

Thank you for your service and welcome home. From first contact you knew this was like no other fight I had been in in 10 years of service. Now that Im home I know that those days will forever be with me, but they will not dictate the rest of my life. I look forward to what tomorrow brings and I know that everyday I was in the Army I always had someone there, a battle buddy, now being out I look forward to do the same as a Vet helping other Vets.

How are you doing? Thank you for your service!

Another great day in the good US of A

I understand if you don't enjoy watching movies about what was once your reality, but of what you've seen, what movies most realistically depict the reality of being deployed?

For example, I've heard people who have served say that the movie Jarhead is effective at showing that a lot of the time it can be really boring, until suddenly it's not.

For me I enjoy watching documentaries then something coming out of Hollywood.

Thank you for your service! And i love the book! Hope to see it made into a miniseries soon. Do you feel that the DUSTWUN caused by Bowe Burgdahl caused a delay in the closing or your extraction from Keating?

Glad to hear you enjoyed the book and thank you. So first and foremost regardless of the reason Bergdahl wandered off from is position he deserted if post and his unit. The US military did everything in the power to search and locate him. Bc of the effort and assets used to do that it caused a removal of some early warning recon that we might have been able to use the weeks and days leading up to 03 oct 2009. But that shows what the military will do to make sure everyone comes home. I know I would give up air assets and put myself in harms way to make sure we leave no trooper behind. I hope he understand that and lives with that everyday for the rest of his life.

Thank you for doing this AMA and for your service. How were you able to maintain your focus and composure to accomplish your goals in such a stressful situation?

One step at a time, and knowing that if the roles were reversed that someone would have came to get me.

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

meat and cheese

Thanks for doing this. Hope you're well. If you could speak to any (or all) of the presidential candidates about your experiences, what we've done so far, and what we might want to do differently, what would you tell them, and why?

I would love to speak to all of them, would the listen would be the real question?

Interesting answer :-) That brings up another question: do you feel like the politicians you've talked to so far, in the course of receiving your award, have been interested in really listening to what you have to say about the war? Or do you get the sense that meeting you is more of a photo op for them, and an easy way to look patriotic?

So here is what I know, since I have taken off the uniform I no longer work for "them." I hope the rest of the American people remember that to that we do not work for our government our government works for us. I try and remind ever congressman or senator of that when ever I get a chance. Depending on there reaction will depend on if they get a photo op.

Has your experience changed your opinion of the United States' involvement in conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East?

It has stayed the same I would much rather be over there fighting then here in the US.

What piece of advice would you give to a young person thinking of starting a military career today?

It will be the hardest thing you will ever love. Know before you join that you might see and do things no person ever should.

Does any part of you miss service? And knowing what you know now, would you enlist again?

I miss it everyday, the brothers you meet there are for life. If my nation called upon me again to defend it I would answer the call.

What is it like to be a Medal of Honor winner?

First off you don't "win" it. We didn't put our names in a hat and have someone draw it out. You receive it. The Medal is not mine it is for all of those who have lay down their life to protect and defend this country.