Today, U.S. Representative Diane Black (R-TN) will bring Gunnery Sergeant Kevin D. Pirtle, a Tennessee native and United States Marine twice deployed to Iraq, as her official guest to the State of the Union Address.
“It is a great honor to bring an American hero like Gunnery Sergeant Pirtle with me to the State of the Union Address,” said Black. “His long record of service both in peace time and in war time is a testament to his character and his great sacrifice for his country. While there will be a lot of debate over what is said tonight during the speech, we can all agree that honoring our nation’s servicemen is of the highest importance.”
In addition to his deployments in Iraq, Gunnery Sergeant Pirtle was also deployed to Afghanistan as part of a mobile training team which instructed and mentored Afghan Police Officers and Afghan National Army. Assignments have taken him all over the world, including to Indonesia and Japan after the devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in both countries. Originally from Memphis, Gunnery Sergeant currently serves at the 8th & I Marine Barracks in Washington, DC.
Gunnery Sergeant Pirtle’s personal decorations include the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (x4) and Combat Action Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal (x2), Afghanistan and Iraq Medals, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Expeditionary Medal. He currently resides in Washington, DC with his wife Virginia and daughter Baylee.
