On Sept. 29, the negotiators in the House and the Senate reached an agreement and approved a $612 billion defense authorization bill that will take effect on the fiscal start of 2016. According to Military Times, along with this budget increase comes a pay "raise for service members, trims to some military benefits and a dramatic overhaul of the military retirement system." 

The representatives agreed that servicemembers would see a 1.3 percent increase in their salary in 2016. While many were hoping for a larger increase, President Obama defended that number, saying that it was part of keeping the national spending under control.

"As our country continues to recover from serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare … we must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course," he wrote in an address to Congress in August. "This effort requires tough choices, especially in light of budget constraints."

The other parts of the bill, the trimming of military benefits and the military retirement overhaul, have also been major points of focus. Military Times wrote that 83 percent of retired military servicemembers have no benefits, but the plan hopes to correct this.

The bill will be sent to Obama for finalization in December, but most experts expect that it will pass without much contention. 

The New York Military Academy was founded in 1889 and has fostered such graduates like Donald Trump, Stephen Sondheim, Francis Ford Coppola and many more. However, The New York Times reported that the school had been having trouble with enrollment, and those difficulties resulted in the academy having to declare Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in March. The news source continued by writing that the NYMA did not open to students in September, as it had promised. 

Soon after, it went up for sale at a bankruptcy auction. The academy was purchased by Research Center on Natural Conservation, a Chinese-owned nonprofit company. The organization paid about $16 million for the 113-acre property. 

Many of the instructors and heads of the school were pleased with the purchase, as it meant their institution was saved from closure. They did not seem upset by the military academy, which has produced many officers and soldiers over the years, going under the control of foreign investors. 

The Research Center on Natural Conservation has stated that it intends to reopen the school to students soon and may even invite Chinese students to the U.S. to study on the campus. 

The Washington Post recently wrote that two of fall's newest television series, "Heroes Reborn" and " You're the Worst" have included characters that are Hispanic veterans. Not only is this a unique step forward for the entertainment industry, it is also an excellent opportunity to increase the feeling of inclusion of minorities in the military. 

The two shows have not only broken ground by including Mexican-Americans in their plots, but they fact that the characters are veterans addresses a very important military issue. The 2003 Demographics Profile of the U.S. Military stated that only 11.6 percent of servicemembers classified themselves as Hispanic. However, that number is expected to double by 2024. Currently, Hispanics are largely underrepresented in the military, but according to an NBC Latino article, all Armed Forces branches are actively seeking to recruit more Latinos. 

The representation of Hispanic servicemembers on not one, but two, network television programs has the potential to be beneficial in a number of ways. Primarily, if the shows portray the Latino veteran characters well, it could increase the Hispanic community's support of the military recruiting and increase interest in potential Latino recruits. 

Interested viewers can watch how it all plays out on NBC for "Heroes Reborn" and FXX for "You're the Worst."

Earning a medal in the military for any reason is a great honor. Not every servicemember has the opportunity, but the ones that do are usually very proud of their recognition. One of the most prestigious awards the military can give is the Bronze Star Medal. This gold star is given to soldiers who exhibited Heroic or Meritorious Achievement in battle. It may be awarded to servicemembers in any branch of the military who have displayed courage and valor superior to their peers. 

When Fort Smith native Sgt. Robert Lopez was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on Sept. 29, he was exceptionally proud – but he did not keep the award for himself. The veteran gave the award to his father who was in attendance at the ceremony. Lopez earned his medal during his four years of service with the Marine Corps in Afghanistan and Iraq where he put himself on the line to protect the rest of his unit. 

The sergeant told local news affiliate, KFSM 5 News, that he did not go into battle with the hopes of earning a Bronze Star.

"I was doing it because it needed to be done, and I could not have lived with myself if one of my Marines, or anybody at the time, would have got hurt or died," he told the news source.

The award ceremony took place at Lopez's parents' restaurant, and when the sergeant handed the medal to his father, both men broke down in tears. Lopez told the crowd that his father was the one who got him through combat, so he deserved the Bronze Star. 

Domingo Lopez, the Marine's father, said that his son had made him extremely proud by not only winning the honor but selflessly giving it away. 

On May 10, the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department in Delmont, Pennsylvania, lost a newer portion of its fire station and much of its equipment to the Mother's Day tornado that swept through the area. According to The Argus Leader, the EF-2 twister destroyed 17 miles of the town in just 30 seconds. Recently, an anonymous donation was made to help the fire department rebuild the section it lost. 

A couple from Sioux Falls addressed a letter to the state fire marshal talking about the destruction they had witnessed after the tornado. The letter included a gold coin with an estimated value of $1,300. 

"Sometimes it is the small things that are so important," read the note that came with the donation. "Not many people do the small things. We can't do much, but maybe this will give other people who can't do much a realization that if we all do a little – bit things will be accomplished."

The firefighters of the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department plan to use the money to purchase new fire suits, equipment and make the final repairs to their station. 

The members of the crew told the news source that they were extremely grateful for the donation. 

Firefighting is no easy job. In fact, it is one of the world's most dangerous professions, and firefighters put their lives on the line daily for the safety of others. However, many firefighters do not make a salary high enough to support their families.

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam told New4Jax.com that the average state employed firefighter in Florida makes $27,000 per year. That number is almost half of what the average teacher in Florida makes.

"Our firefighters are demonstrably underpaid relative to their peers in other southeastern states," Putnam told News4Jax.com.

Putnam and a group of other state officials are pushing for a pay increase for the state's firefighters. He and his supporters believe higher pay would lower the turnover rate in state firefighters and help develop more experienced stations. The agricultural commissioner and the others are hoping for a $2,000 salary increase for Florida firefighters. 

According to WCTV News, the officials got a pay increase approved by the state Legislature earlier in the year, but Florida governor Rick Scott vetoed it, stating that no one group of state workers should receive a raise. 

Putnam and the other officials plan to continue lobbying for the first responders. 

The UnitedHealthcare Army/Navy Challenge gave over 200 injured and disabled veterans the chance to ride 460 miles as a part of the Ride 2 Recovery program. According to UnitedHealthcare, the participants will ride bicycles, tandem bikes and hand-operated bikes from New Jersey through Princeton, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore before ending in Annapolis, Maryland on Oct. 2.

The event raises money for health care programs for veterans through rider sponsorship and donations. It is a competition between the two service divisions to see who can raise the most money during the ride. 

"I found that doing this actually helps me move with a purpose, not just for myself, but for everybody around me and people in my situation," former Marine Gunnery Sgt. Mike Rios told NJ.com. 

The Ride 2 Recovery programs specializes in bringing wounded and disabled veterans together for group healing through physical activity.

The riders began their journey on Sept. 28 and recently passed through Trenton, New Jersey. Their stops include the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan and Fort Lee in New Jersey.

This year's event marked the sixth annual Ride 2 Recovery. To learn more about the organization or to sponsor a veteran, click here. 

Country crooners like Jake Owner, Dierks Bentley and Hunter Hayes are known for lighting up the stages for thousands of fans on a regular basis, but now they have added Patriotism to their repertoires as well. On Veterans Day, the aforementioned stars and many more country singers will step into the spotlight to perform at an event called Stars and Strings concert. 

The concert was organized by CBS Radio as a way to honor current servicemembers and veterans.

"Our service men and women sacrifice every day to protect our country, and they deserve our appreciation and gratitude," CBS Radio VP/Country Programming and WUSN/Chicago PD Jeff Kapugi said. "Stars and Strings will salute and honor their efforts, as well as provide support and awareness to a very important and worthwhile cause."

A portion of the concert's profits will benefit Folds of Honor, a organization that provides scholarships for spouses and children of military servicemembers who were killed or disabled in action. 

Stars and Strings is scheduled for Nov. 11 at the Chicago Theatre, and tickets will go on sale Oct. 2. Little Big Town, Band Perry and Kip Moore are also slotted to perform at the event. 

According to Len Proper, executive director of the Military Veterans Resource Center, nearly 150,000 Ohio veterans don't have the resources they need and sometimes go hungry. That is why he and others opened the MVRC to provide assistance to former servicemembers who needed it. Navy veteran Larry Mays approached the center when he needed help with his disability paperwork. 

"No one passed any judgment on me," Mays told The Columbus Dispatch. "They understood this was a temporary stop for me until I can get back on my feet. I'd call it five-star treatment, and veterans don't always get that. They wished me Godspeed."

Not only did Mays walk away with completed paperwork, he also left with a week's worth of dry goods, including beans, tuna, ground beef and Girl Scout Cookies. The Franklin County Veterans Service Commission hosts food drives to keep the pantries in stock and provide food supplies for former servicemembers.

The MVRC has provided for 577 local veterans to date, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.

The center is funded by the AMVET, the VFW and the American Legion and also provides veterans who seek their help with career support, including resume assistance and career planning.

For 75 years, the West Ridge Fire Department in Erie, Pennsylvania has been keeping the community safe and protecting the local residents of Millcreek Township. The station's website reported that the Zuck family purchased the first firetruck and organized the department in Sept. of 1940. They were committed to keeping the agricultural area safe and free from disaster. It now protects the ​second-largest municipality in Erie County.

On Sept. 27, the station opened their doors to the public for tours and an anniversary celebration.

According to YourErie.com, the crews invited people to tour the station house and ask questions about their daily life. They also allowed the younger members of the community to climb into the fire trucks and explore the inner workings. Some of the kids even got to man th​e fire hose and witness a medical helicopter land on site. 

In tradition with keeping the community safe, the firefighters of West Ridge Fire Department held fire safety classes and did medical training for the adults. 

From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the fire crew welcomed each guest and shared their happiness surrounding their anniversary.