When he founded American Military University (AMU) in 1991, retired Marine Corps officer James P. Etter broke new ground by offering career-relevant, distance education for a mobile population of military learners with unique needs. Over the next 10 years, many more undergraduate and graduate programs were added to help prepare students for leadership roles both within the military and for transition to post-military careers. In 2002, AMU was reorganized into the American Public University System (APUS), and American Public University (APU) was founded to provide access to the same quality, affordable, and relevant education to a broader audience of motivated working adults.