Levin Receives Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award

Navy Secretary England presents award to the Michigan senator, which is the highest honor given to a non-Navy individual

WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, today received the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award (DPSA), which is the highest award given to someone not in the Navy. The award, which was presented by Navy Secretary Gordon England, cited Levin's "selfless devotion" and "courageous leadership" of the committee.

"I am deeply honored to receive this award," said Levin, who has served on the Armed Services Committee for 24 years. "I want to express the deep thanks we owe to the men and women who serve in the Navy and Marine Corps. I have made it one of my highest priorities while serving on the committee to improve the quality of life of service members, who have made the our armed forces the most capable fighting force in the world."

Levin was awarded the DPSA for his "exceptional service to the Navy and Marine Corps" during his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee since May 2001. The DPSA is given to an individual whose contributions or accomplishments have an impact Navy-wide or beyond.

In presenting the award, the Navy said the following of Levin:

"[H]is selfless devotion to the interests of the Navy and Marine Corps helped the services grow into the most powerful combat team in the world. His courageous leadership and vision helped the Department of the Navy meet the challenges of the 21st century and triumph over those who threaten the security of the United States. His support of initiatives designed to improve the quality-of-life of armed forces personnel resulted in unprecedented increases in pay and allowances, allowing our front line troops to concentrate on winning the Global War on Terrorism. A true leader, his visits to forward deployed Sailors and Marines greatly bolstered their morale and sense of purpose. With grateful appreciation for his outstanding contributions to the Nation and the Navy and the Marine Corps, Senator Levin is awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award."