For the soldiers of Task Force Green Mountain, seeing a newly minted college graduate in their ranks was a real eye opener. Staff Sergeant Lonnie Tungate graduated from Excelsior College with an Associate in Science degree in Liberal Arts this October, and was honored by his fellow soldiers with a graduation ceremony at their desert camp.

Sergeant Tungate deployed to Kuwait in January 2005 with 600 other members of Task Force Green Mountain from the Vermont Army National Guard. After arriving in Kuwait, Sergeant Tungate resolved to complete his degree before returning home.

In spite of the fact that he was over 7,000 miles away from home, Sergeant Tungate learned to make his desert camp a schoolhouse. Notwithstanding the adversity of working the graveyard shift, living in 140-degree heat, and combating massive sandstorms on a regular basis, Sergeant Tungate persisted in his educational pursuit.

Student Profile

Lonnie Tungate Lonnie Tungate is a Staff Sergeant for the Task Force Green Mountain of the Vermont Army National Guard. He has a wife, two dogs, and a cat back home in Vermont. Beginning his education nearly 17 years ago, Lonnie is the first college graduate in his family.

This summer, he completed his final required course online and received a congratulatory letter from Excelsior College, which notified him that he was an official college graduate. But to properly commemorate the occasion, the soldiers within his company contacted Excelsior College to ask for support in holding a graduation ceremony in his behalf. Excelsior College readily agreed and provided a cap and gown for the historic occasion.

This October, Sergeant Tungate was honored when his fellow soldiers, who worked beside him throughout this last year, stepped forward and helped him don his graduation robes. Each soldier congratulated him for completing his degree. Sergeant Tungate's graduation was all the more sweet since it was the prize at the end of the college education he began nearly 17 years ago.

He is the first college graduate in his family. At the conclusion of his special graduation ceremony - and at the behest of his fellow soldiers - Sergeant Tungate thoughtfully spoke of his upbringing and how a college education was a dream that seemed almost impossible to even form. He then proudly recounted how his successes in the military as a Non-commissioned Officer and newly minted college graduate had taught him that he could succeed at whatever he put his mind to.

Sergeant Tungate will soon re-deploy home to Vermont to his wife Sandra, two dogs, and the family cat. As a testament to his mettle, he has already set his sights on his next career goals: completing his bachelor's degree and qualifying for a 20-year military retirement. Thank you, Excelsior College, for supporting our deployed soldiers - and thank you, Sergeant Tungate, for serving our nation and doing what heroes do.