Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kay Hagan was honored last night at the Marine Corps League Grand Banquet in Arlington, VA for her work to support the U.S. Marine Corps. Hagan received the 2012 Dickey Chapelle Award, one of the Marine Corps League's highest awards, which is given each year to a woman who has contributed substantially to the morale, welfare and well being of Marines and the Marine Corps.

"I am truly honored to receive the Dickey Chapelle Award - named for a woman who put her life on the line to tell the story of our courageous Marines," Hagan said. "Honoring the legendary bravery of Dickey Chapelle is a fitting remembrance of the sacrifices our servicemembers make every day, including the 3,000 North Carolina Marines currently deployed in Afghanistan. The Marine Corps and the entire military are close to my heart and I am proud to work for our servicemen and women, veterans and their families every day in the U.S. Senate."

"We have no better friend than Senator Kay Hagan," said Commandant of the Marine Corps James Amos. "On behalf of all marines, our families, thank you for the work you do for our wounded, thank you for the work you do for our families. We need men and women of character in leadership and you provide that. This award is recognition of your character and your selflessness for our nation."

Senator Hagan has been a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee since coming to the U.S. Senate in 2009. In 2011, she was named Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Hagan has made it a priority to ensure federal policies work for active duty military, veterans and their families. Her efforts include:

· Cosponsoring the Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act to protect military families from wrongful foreclosures
· Championing continued funding for MyCAA, a program that offers education support for military spouses
· Fighting for bipartisan legislation that gives companies an incentive to hire veterans, an initiative similar to her own Hire a Hero Act
· Leading the successful Senate effort to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines - the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Hagan comes from a proud military family. Her father-in-law was a two-star general in the Marine Corps; her husband, father and brother all served in the Navy; and she has two nephews on active duty who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About the Dickey Chapelle Award
Dating back to 1967, the Dickey Chapelle Award recognizes deserving women in public service who promote the ideals of American freedom and democracy. Previous recipients include Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, NASA astronaut Sally Ride and Ms. Elaine Rogers, the Executive Director of the Washington USO. The award's namesake was the first female war correspondent to die in Vietnam, while she was on patrol with Marines. The Dickey Chapelle Award and the Military Order of the Iron Mike Award are the Marine Corps League's highest awards of recognition. The Commandant of the Marine Corps selects the award recipients and personally conveys the honors.

About the Marine Corps League
The Marine Corps League was founded by Commandant John A. Lejeune in 1923. Its membership of over 75,000 is comprised of honorably discharged, active duty and Reserve and retired Marines. The League is classified as a veterans/military service organization and was formed for the purposes of promoting the interests of the U.S. Marine Corps; to provide camaraderie and assistance to Marines, as well as to their widows and orphans; and to preserve the traditions of the U.S. Marine Corps.