Blue Star Mothers and Veterans wait in the lobby for the ceremony to star

Blue Star Mothers sitting in the audience, waiting for the ceremony to start

Five graduating Veterans and their dogs wait at the front of the room for the ceremony to start

Cynthia Crossman, NEADS Board member, starts the ceremony with remarks and introduction of new CEO Richard Beeman

Cynthia Crossman, NEADS Board member, starts the ceremony with remarks and introduction of new CEO Richard Beeman

New NEADS CEO Richard Beeman speaks about NEADS accomplishments and future

Featured speaker Thomas G. Kelley, Mass. Secretary of Veterans' Services.

NEADS House staff person Dan Oullette will award the diplomas, after a few more announcements

Fran Ventura ran a golf fundraiser for NEADS at the Oak Hill Country Club, and presented NEADS with a check.

To the dogs, these announcements are totally fascinating, as you can see.

Elaine Jones, mother of Ryan Patrick Jones, killed in Baghdad in May 2007, presented NEADS with a contribution

Elaine Jones, mother of Ryan Patrick Jones, killed in Baghdad in May 2007, presented NEADS with a contribution