Our Nation's Warriors defend our freedoms at home and abroad. Many of our young men and women have suffered deep physical wounds; wounds they will carry for the rest of their lives. The ball's guests of honor included service members currently undergoing treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, and their loved ones. 
The Valentines Ball brings together nearly 700 industry, military, and Federal Government telecommunications and IT professionals and their spouses to honor veterans. In addition, the ball is an opportunity for Industry partners to reinforce their commitment to the community. This year, as in the past, any surplus funds from the Valentine's Ball were used to provide educational scholarships through the AFCEA NOVA Scholarship Fund. Scholarships are available to students studying the hard sciences including mathematics, information technology, computer science, and others.