Master Sgt. Jarad Stout, the Marine Corps’ Marine of the Year, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Park on Tuesday before the Nationals hosted the first-place Atlanta Braves.
Then-Gunnery Sgt. Stout, according to the Marine Corps Times, helped respond to gunman connected with al Qaeda in November 2015 who held 170 hostages at the Radisson Blue hotel in Mali.
“There was very little time to respond,” Stout said in a command release. “However, our purpose was clear. That clarity and unity of purpose allowed us to navigate the ambiguity and manage our emotions to accomplish the mission at hand.”
More than 20 people were killed, according to published reports, but for his bravery Stout earned the Silver Star.
Stout’s throw from the pitcher’s mound was caught by Tanner Rainey, a relief pitcher for the Nationals. Rainey then signed the ball for Stout.
Stout was accompanied by Lieutenant General John Broadmeadow, Director of Marine Corps Staff, on U.S. Marine Corps Day at Nationals Park. There was also a flyover and the Marine Barracks Washington Color Guard presented the colors.
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