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A 100-year-old Air Force veteran, John “Jack” Milton, who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, finally received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) during a ceremony 58 years after earning it.
Milton had obtained his degree in the 1960s but was shipped off to Vietnam before he could attend his graduation ceremony.
“I thought about it many times that I was unable to attend my ceremony after all that hard work,” Milton said.
To his surprise and delight, UMGC recently honored him with a belated graduation ceremony, where an associate vice president thanked him for his service and support of the university.
UMGC Associate Vice President for Stateside Military Operations Nicole DeRamus stated, “Thank you for everything you have done in serving our country, giving back to your alma mater, and so generously supporting those learners who need us most.”
Video showed images of Milton throughout his military career as a pilot. Milton said it was the top ceremony he had ever had, having attended many.
“I’ve had many ceremonies throughout my life, fortunately, but this has to be the top,” Milton said.
Milton was unofficially adopted into the family of his late wife’s nurse, Nora Ubala, over 20 years ago, and she spoke warmly of him as like a father to her and grandfather to her children.
