Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was the speaker at West Point's graduation Saturday, May 23. He personally handed out the diplomas to the high honors graduates and then yielded to the officers who actually read the names, one on each side of the dais, for over 900 West Pointers.
On the right is JR, waiting on the ramp to hear his name called for the diploma. The skies were threatening and I wonder what would happen to their diplomas if it did rain. Afterward we could see it was inside a tube to protect it from the weather. John and Mona bought JR the suitable frames for hanging his diploma and also his commission. He also bought a sword which will be hung in the display as well. The sword they are wearing is more decorative than official, so had to be turned back in after the ceremony.
After JR came down the ramp upon receiving his diploma, several of their teachers were waiting at the bottom of the stairs to congratulate them, and give hugs. It was a pleasant surprise to see the normally stiff and rigid military guys grabbing the graduates and hugging them freely, and the graduates hugging back! In this photo, JR is scanning the huge crowd to see us, but I do not think he could pick us out, although he knew approximately where we would be seated.
At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, a time-long tradition of the hat toss took place. Children in only a certain age group were gathered on the far edge of the grounds, and as soon the graduates tossed the hats in the air, the kids were set free to go and grab the hats. The hats supposedly had coins or paper money tucked in the band for the kids. Soon after the hat toss came numerous announcements about lost kids.....really? 
If you will notice the different uniform, this is their new style and color this year. The Commissioning Ceremony was separate from graduation, at which his parents attached the bars to his shoulders as Allie stuck his lieutenant bars to his beret. Again, we could not be more proud of JR's accomplishments and his career choice. Doesn't Justin look handsome, too? He is losing weight and now has to have his tuxedo resized for Jamie's wedding in June. What if he loses more before then????
John, Allie, and Mona pose with JR after his commissioning ceremony, with the lovely vista as the backdrop. What an incredibly wonderful event to be part of and I cannot believe that we even considered not going. Our time in New York was all great fun but it is pretty hard to beat graduation at West Point!!! 
