An 84-year-old Texas man was presented with a high-school diploma 65 years after he left school prematurely to serve in the great Korean War.

Paul Mackey, the 84-year-old man, got his diploma from the Texarkana Independent School District’s Board of Trustees.

He got it during a recent meeting.

Mackey was scheduled to graduate in 1954, but he left for the war before he managed to finish his senior year.

He went to join the US Marines and serve in the Korean War.

Tina Veal-Gooch, the school district spokeswoman, released a statement about the incident, where they said:

Many American students gave up their educational dreams when they left high school to enlist and serve their country during time of war.

The Texas Education Code allows districts to give out diplomas to honorably discharged veterans that served in the Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War 2.

This was confirmed by Veal-Gooch.

Mackey recently got his GED and graduated college.

Talking about his high school diploma, Mackey said that it completed his education.

During an interview with Mackey, the war veteran said that kids that see this story needs to be smart and go to school.

He also advises the young ones to stay in school.