VICENZA, Italy — When Staff Sgt. Michael Martin was up nights caring for his infant daughter, he was also finishing his business administration degree.
At the U.S. Army Garrison Italy 2026 Graduation Ceremony, Martin, 35, a Kansas native with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, recalled holding her while using voice‑to‑text software for a school paper—only to discover it had transcribed him whispering her back to sleep.
“I was holding my daughter to calm her down and I was like, ‘no, no, no, stay asleep,’” Martin said. “The computer wrote that in. When I was revising my paper, I was like, ‘oh, no, I’ve got to take that out before I turn it in.’”
Fifteen graduates received degrees ranging from associate to master’s during the April 9 ceremony at the Golden Lion on Caserma Ederle. The class included Soldiers, spouses and family members earning credentials from the University of Maryland Global Campus, American Military University, the State University of New York, Arizona State and the University of Louisville. Dozens of friends and relatives attended, underscoring the community’s commitment to education.
Martin said earning his degree was a major milestone after three years of balancing school, Army duties and fatherhood.
“I’ve just been grinding it out, trying my best to not only provide for my family, but make a future for us to last forever,” he said, adding that support from his wife and encouragement from colleagues in USAG Italy’s operations directorate kept him motivated.
James Montanio, 18, who graduated from Vicenza High School last year, earned an associate degree and marked the moment by wearing a traditional Italian laurel wreath to honor his great‑grandfather, whose family came from northern Italy. Studying overseas, he said, gave him opportunities he wouldn’t have had stateside, including work at the fitness center and an internship with the garrison public affairs office. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science in the United States and hopes to work for the U.S. government.
When keynote speaker Brig. Gen. Daniel Cederman, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, mentioned he earned his master’s through the Army education center in 2007, Montanio immediately noticed—that was the year he was born.
“It’s this full loop of the Army system,” Montanio said. “He was talking about when he got his degree, and now I’m at that point he was talking about.”
Cederman told graduates he understood the challenge of balancing duty, family and night classes. He urged them to decide who they want to be, seize unexpected opportunities and not wait to act.
“This is a milestone achievement,” Cederman said. “I’m speaking from the heart when I say it takes real commitment to get here.”
The USAG Italy Education Center supports Soldiers, families and civilian personnel with counseling, testing and access to accredited college programs, as well as guidance on tuition assistance, credentialing and degree planning. More information is available at the garrison’s[ Continuing Education Services webpage.](https://home.army.mil/italy/about/Garrison/directorate-human-resources/continuing-education-services)