COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Fifty-eight years ago, a career Air Force officer named John “Jack” Milton earned a degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. It was a significant achievement because Milton had been working on the degree part-time since World War II.
But Milton never got to walk for his diploma back in 1966. Instead, he was sent to Vietnam.
Now Jack Milton is 100 years old. Tuesday in College Park, he got his graduation ceremony.
"It's a heck of a surprise!" Milton told University of Maryland Global Campus President Dr. Gregory Fowler over lunch in an art gallery on the UMGC campus.
UMGC Associate Vice President for Stateside Military Operations Nicole DeRamus applauded Milton's achievements.
"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," DeRamus said.
Milton was humble about the honor.
“Well, I've had many ceremonies throughout my life, fortunately, to celebrate many occasions, but this has to be the top," said the retired Air Force Colonel and former financial professional.
He recalled earning his bachelor's degree in 1966.
“I didn't get to attend our graduation ceremony. On that day. I was on my way to Southeast Asia for my own Vietnam tour. Today certainly makes up for that!” Milton said.
Milton began military service in the Army Air Corps in 1943 during World War II. He flew in Korea and Vietnam during his career, which included being a test pilot on "just about every type of aircraft they had," he said.
He was married to a model and former "Cover Girl" Samantha Milton, and the couple were deployed in Kinshasa, Congo in 1964, Milton recalled.
Samantha was a civilian, but her husband trained her to handle a machine gun. She survived a brief kidnapping attempt in Kinshasa when residents rescued her, according to Milton's niece who recalled the story.
Milton reflected on a career of high-risk military duty.
“I never really gave much thought to what I was doing at the time I did it. Much later on when I got to thinking about it, I became a little bit jittery - nervous about the risks involved," he said.
After his wife died in 2014, Milton became the unofficially adopted patriarch of Nora Ubala's family in Gaithersburg. Ubala and her husband began what became a life-changing friendship with Milton when she worked for him and his wife as a hired nurse 22 years ago.
"He's like my father. I call him that. And my children call him grandfather," said Ubala, an immigrant from Uganda.
Ubala's daughter Joyce, who is a student at Yorktown High School in Arlington, said Milton is a cornerstone figure in the family's life.
“He's just been there for us our whole lives," Joyce said. "He loves to talk about his time flying airplanes during the wars and we love listening to him and he loves music as well. All of my music tastes has come from him. He loves Sinatra. I like that stuff too."
Milton had no advice for reporters asking him how he attained 100 years of age.
But one thing that makes him feel good is giving away scholarship money to members of the military to get their degrees from the University of Maryland Global Campus while still serving, just like he did in 1966.
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.