APUS Celebrates 72nd National Armed Forces Day and Over Three Decades of Continuous Military Support with 2022 Graduating Class

Following Armed Forces Day on May 21, 11,254 Active-Duty, Reservist, National Guard Members and Veterans to Receive APUS Degrees on June 17-18

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. , May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Public University System (APUS), which offers online degree and certificate programs through American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU), is proud to celebrate Armed Forces Day on May 21 to honor all of the men and women—including current students and alumni—who are serving across military branches, as well as all those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

APUS will hold its 2022 Commencement on June 17 and 18 at the Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor, Md. The Class of 2022—which includes 11,254 military and veteran graduates—is continued validation that APUS remains dedicated year-round to providing accessible and affordable higher education for veterans, active-duty military, and beyond.

Armed Forces Day was originally introduced by United States Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson to create a single holiday that would celebrate all branches of the military. On May 20, 1950, Armed Forces Day was officially observed for the first time by President Harry Truman, marked by a speech where he praised military members serving at home and overseas, saying "it is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace." Today, the observance is marked as the third Saturday each May, amid National Military Appreciation Month.

"We at American Public University System are honored to count so many exemplary members of the military among our graduating student body in the Class of 2022—on Armed Forces Day and every day," said APUS Acting President Dr. Katherine Zatz. "We are committed to giving back to those who serve. This includes our dedication to partnerships such as 50strong, which helps connect transitioning U.S. service members to potential civilian employment opportunities."

This year's class features 2,616 veterans and 8,638 military members. Prestigious Latin Honors will be presented to 2,019 military graduates and 660 veteran graduates—2,679 in total. APUS has been recognized as the #1 provider of higher education to the U.S. military and veterans,* as well as the top choice for students using Tuition Assistance (TA), according to the most recent data published from Military Times.^* APUS has offered VA benefits to qualified students for nearly 20 years, beginning in January 2003.

About American Public University System 
American Public University System (APUS) delivers accessible and affordable online higher education to adult learners of all backgrounds. APUS, a five-time recipient of Online Learning Consortium's (OLC) Effective Practice Award, offers more than 200 online degree and certificate programs through American Public University as well as American Military University, the #1 provider of higher education to the U.S. military and veterans.* With over 114,000 alumni worldwide, APUS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. APUS is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Public Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: APEI). For more information, visit www.apus.edu.

*Based on FY 2019 Department of Defense tuition assistance and Veterans Administration student enrollment data, as reported by Military Times, 2020.

Contact:
Kathleen Liebenberg
PR Manager, APEI
[email protected]
908-858-0243

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SOURCE American Public University System