He was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims by President George W. Bush in December 2003.

Upon graduation, Judge Hagel was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

[3] In 1976, Judge Hagel graduated from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree.

He served on the Steering Committee for the District of Columbia Bar Administrative Law and Agency Practice Section from 1999 to 2003 and on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Rules Advisory Committee from 1992-2003.

[7] Judge Hagel served as Chair of the Veterans Law Committee Section of the Federal Bar Association from 1994 to 1995.