Saginaw Vietnam Veteran Receives Diploma

Vietnam Veteran Tom Jones accepting his diploma in front of the Saginaw School board. Son Tom Jones Jr and Granddaughter Jordan Jones watched on in the audience. (Photo- Ric Antonio; WSGW)

It’s never too late to get your high school diploma, according to one Saginaw area Vietnam veteran.

Tom Jones Sr, who had enlisted and missed his final year at Arthur Hill High, received his own diploma joined by his son and granddaughter at this week’s Saginaw school board meeting.

He says encourages all veterans who had been removed from school to seek out their graduation certificates, and that he’s glad he was able to get his graduation papers from the school he grew up with, before the competition of the Saginaw comprehensive high school- which is set to combine Arthur hill and Saginaw High.

According to the Michigan Veterans affairs agency; to apply for a diploma, a veteran or next of kin must return a high School diploma application for Michigan WWII, Korean, and Vietnam Era Veterans form to the veteran’s school district for processing along with a copy of their discharge papers.

Those who were Honorably discharged and were unable to receive their high school diplomas because they enlisted or drafted into the armed forces can still be awarded their graduation certificate.

For more information you can visit michigan.gov/mvaa.