Recognizing a Lifetime of Public Service and Transformative Support for Military Caregivers
ARLINGTON, VA / ACCESS Newswire / July 1, 2025 / Military Times and the Military Times Foundation are proud to announce that Senator Elizabeth Dole will receive the Chairman's Award at the 2025 Service Members of the Year Awards Ceremony, held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. This prestigious award recognizes an individual whose character, spirit, and exceptional public service have made a profound and lasting difference in their community and in raising awareness of essential military and veteran issues.
Awarded to Senator Elizabeth Dole
The Chairman's Award honors a person who has selflessly dedicated themselves to public service and uplifted the lives of others through their example and impact. Senator Dole's extraordinary career and her tireless advocacy for military and veteran caregivers make her an ideal recipient.
Senator Dole was the first woman to lead two presidential Cabinet departments-serving as Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush. As Secretary of Transportation, she was also the first woman to lead a military branch, the U.S. Coast Guard. She later served as president of the American Red Cross for eight years and represented North Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
Her commitment to those who serve our nation deepened through personal experience. After her husband, Senator Bob Dole, was hospitalized at Walter Reed, she witnessed firsthand the critical, often invisible role of military and veteran caregivers. In response, she founded the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in 2012, launching a national movement to support and empower the more than 14 million Americans caring for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans.
Under her leadership, the Foundation has launched transformative initiatives including:
The Hidden Heroes Campaign to raise awareness of the challenges caregivers face.
The Hidden Helpers Coalition to raise awareness and support for children in military and veteran caregiving families, who often help provide care, and to strengthen support for them.
The Bob & Dolores Hope Fund for Critical Assistance which offers emergency financial support to military and veteran caregivers.
The Dole Caregiver Fellowship a national network of peer leaders and advocates.
And groundbreaking partnerships with the VA, RAND, and scores of private sector organizations to build new programs and drive policy and systems-level change.
"Senator Elizabeth Dole's work has given voice to the families behind our wounded warriors and inspired a movement of national support," said Michael Reinstein, Chairman of the Military Times Foundation. "Her leadership has brought visibility, resources, and hope to millions. It is our great honor to present her with this year's Chairman's Award."
"Senator Dole's life has been defined by public service, but her work on behalf of military and veteran caregivers is among her most personal," said Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. "Through her vision and unyielding commitment, she transformed a once-invisible community into a national movement. This recognition from the Military Times Foundation honors not only her extraordinary career, but the millions of caregivers whose courage and sacrifice she has brought to light."
The Military Times Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to honoring exemplary service and advancing causes that support military personnel, veterans, and their families. Proceeds from the Service Members of the Year Awards benefit nonprofit organizations serving these communities across the country.
About Military Times
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Contact Information
Kelly Facer
kfacer@mco.com
703-585-9523
SOURCE: Military Times Foundation
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