The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce First Sergeant Chase McGrorty-Hunter, First Sergeant Melissa Marnell, and Colonel Seth W.B. Folsom, USMC (Ret) of Oceanside, California as recipients of the Foundation’s 2026 Annual Awards. They will be honored at the Annual Awards Dinner on April 25 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia.
McGrorty-Hunter serves as a Senior Enlisted Leader for 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He has received multiple honors, including the Leatherneck Writing Award, the Marine Corps University Dr. Elihu Rose Award, and recognition as Instructor of the Year at the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy Quantico. His work appears in the Marine Corps Gazette, Leatherneck Magazine, and Marine Corps University Press, and he is the founder of the Bayonet Warfighting Society, an online community dedicated to professional military education.
Marnell enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2007 and began her career as an Electrical Engineer Mechanic, serving with multiple units including MWSS 272, MWSS 374, TTECG, and 9th Communications Battalion. She later transitioned into the Combat Camera field, served as the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps’ photographer, and played a key role in developing and instructing the Force Fitness Program, training more than 500 Marines. She has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve and currently serves as a Company First Sergeant at the School of Infantry-West.
Folsom retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2023 after 28 years of service as an infantry officer, holding key leadership roles including Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines and Commander of Task Force Lion. He deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve, and served in senior staff positions at 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and the Joint Staff. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon.
McGrorty-Hunter, Marnell and Folsom are among 20 recipients recognized this year for their exceptional portrayal of Marine Corps history, traditions, and culture across a range of disciplines, including photography, documentary filmmaking, journalism, poetry, nonfiction, and fiction writing.
"Through their exceptional talent and authenticity, these outstanding writers, artists, and photographers explore the rich history, traditions, and culture of the Marine Corps,” said MajGen James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), the Foundation's President and CEO. "We are privileged to highlight their remarkable work at our Foundation's Annual Awards and hope that their example inspires others to tell the story of our Marine Corps.”
Annual Awards recipients are selected by a panel of accomplished Marines and civilian experts. Past honorees include celebrated novelists, bestselling authors, national columnists, network producers, and active-duty Marines whose work reflects a deep commitment to accurately telling the Marine Corps story, often through firsthand experience in challenging and dangerous environments.
Each award recipient receives a gold medallion, a commemorative brick along the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park pathway adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, and a cash prize.
The full list of award recipients is available on the Foundation’s website. For interviews with award recipients, please contact Haylee Sigafoose at hsigafoose@susandavis.com.