Graduation ceremony honors 250 JBER personnel with new degrees

  • Published
  • By Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Winstead
  • USARAK Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Taking the time to study and complete just one class can be daunting in itself, but 250 recent graduates enrolled in the Army Continuing Education System at JBER didn't just complete one course - they earned degrees.

Service members, spouses and dependents were recognized during an academic achievement ceremony May 4 at the JBER-Richardson Theater where they were awarded degrees and diplomas for their accomplishments.

"All of our students have ties to the military," Aerielle Ludwig, an education service specialist at the JBER Education Center said. "Many of our students have also utilized programs like tuition assistance in order to get their degrees."

There were 15 universities with students graduating in the ceremony.

Thanks to their involvement, according to Ludwig, these universities get a better understanding of the unique requirements of military members and their families and often allow for most, if not all, credits from a different university to be transferred and put toward a current goal or degree.

That's a valuable service for service members and families dealing with frequent moves during their military careers.

The level of degrees awarded ranged from GEDs to associates degrees to bachelor's and master's degrees.

In addition to being awarded their degrees by a representative from their respective schools, the students were also personally thanked for their efforts and service by U.S. Army Alaska Commander Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo as they crossed the stage and received their academic documents.

In brief remarks, Palumbo expressed his admiration for each of the graduates and encouraged them to achieve further heights of education and personal improvement to make both themselves and the Army stronger as a whole.

For information about the Army Continuing Education System or to enroll in classes with tuition assistance, contact your unit education officer or visit www.knox.army.mil/garrison/dhr/aces/index.asp.