A student group called Family, Career and Community Leaders of America encourages young adults to be active proponents for a positive community. An FCCLA sector in Tracy, California, recently answered their club's calling by planning a luncheon for local veterans. 

"It is a day thanking them for their service, and now it is our turn to serve them," Marlee Baker, 15, a sophomore and secretary of the club, told Tracy Press.

Baker and the members of her student organization will open up the cafeteria in their high school to host former servicemembers, share a meal and listen to their stories. The event will take place right before Veterans Day, making it even more relative to the service community. 

All VFWs are encouraged to join the West High School FCCLA for the BBQ, which will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 7. Veterans will be served beef, chicken, coleslaw, beans and dessert free of charge, according to Tracy Press. There will also be a special half-hour ceremony dedicated to veterans.

The students of the FCCLA did a large portion of the fundraising for the event themselves, however, local businesses and donors were actively involved in making the veterans' lunch happen.

Transitioning to life after service can be difficult for veterans. There are many decisions to make, a lot of new challenges to overcome and tons of questions that need answering. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help make the transition from military life a little less daunting for former servicemembers. Let’s examine a few of these helpful programs.

Veterans’ Employment Training Services
As stated in the infographic below, VETS is an independent agency geared toward helping veterans make the shift to civilian life. The organization’s main areas of focus are job training, transition assistance, veterans’ rights and veteran hiring. VETS helps former servicemembers get a jumpstart on their careers using resume assistance and interview coaching. The agency also protects veterans who are currently in the workforce by ensuring fair and equal treatment.

Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
Sometimes veterans sustain injuries in combat that leave them disabled, but that does not mean they do not deserve an equal opportunity at employment. The DVOP trains specialists who are then sent to employment offices, military bases and veterans’ outreach centers across the U.S. These specialists are in place to help disabled veterans find suitable work and to maintain the fair treatment of disabled former servicemembers in the workplace. Read more about this program in the infographic below.

Local Veterans Employment Representative Program
This program organizes workers that act as advocates for veterans in the civilian workforce. LVER makes sure that all veterans in the area are informed of the services available to them. The program also reaches out to local former servicemembers interested in job training and social services counseling. To learn more about LVER, check out the infographic below.

When veterans transition to civilian life, it should be a time of excitement not stress. The programs listed in the infographic below were created specifically to make the transition a little easier for former servicemembers.

OperationsLZ is a group committed to making up for the treatment of Vietnam-era veterans when they first returned from service. The organization hosts free events for these veterans, during which members of the community are invited to come and thank the servicemembers. Brooke Anderson, a junior from West Hancock High School in Britt, Iowa, participated in the event. Anderson and her boyfriend volunteered to hand out the commemorative coins and a pins given to each veteran. 

The pins have a special design on them to show gratitude for their service.

"The heart shows our love for them," Anderson told Globe Gazette. "The crack in it shows how heartbroken the veterans were because people didn't respect them after the war. The Band-Aid shows we're finally recognizing them and respecting them."

At the OperationsLZ event in August, Anderson met a Vietnam veteran named Duane Thomas. Thomas told the news source that he had been sitting alone for most of the event when Anderson and her boyfriend came up to him and asked for a photograph with him. He said their kindness stayed with him. After the event, he continued to search for the pair so he could stay in contact with them.

Thanks to the help of a local newspaper, they were reunited on Oct. 25. Anderson told Globe Gazette that they were now like family. 

The Vietnam War was a challenging time for servicemembers. As one of the most difficult wars that America has ever been involved in, servicemembers were challenged in battle and when they returned home. For Charles Kettles, the whole experience was just part of his duty to his country. Kettles served as a commander of the 176th Assault Helicopter Company's first platoon.

According to Mlive.com, he was given a mission to rescue a group of soldiers who were trapped by the North Vietnamese army. Kettles' actions on May 15, 1967 saved many of his fellow servicemembers' lives. The military recently decided to give Kettles the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism.

"This decision was made because of Kettles's heroism in Vietnam which resulted in saving many lives," Alvin Rudisill, president of the Ypsilanti Historical Society, told Mlive.com. "There are many witness statements in the documentary notebook in the display from individuals whose lives were saved because of actions taken by Kettles during the Vietnam War."

It has been 48 years since Kettles saved the lives of those men, but the ones who spoke to the news source said they were still as grateful as they were the day of the event. Many told Mlive.com that they knew they would not be alive today if it was not for Kettles. 

Television has long been one of America's favorite activities. Families used to gather around the set to enjoy an evening of their favorite shows. Now, everyone has the ability to tailor programing to their specific interests. Yet, people connect through mutually enjoyed shows and have the chance to experience different adventures through the characters on screen. Some of television's most loved programs depict military life. Let's take a look at some of the the best shows that were inspired by servicemembers and the military.

1. "MASH"
This popular comedy starring Alan Alda ran from 1972 to 1983. The array of beloved characters took viewers through the highs and lows of life at a mobile medical hospital during the Korean War. People tuned in every week to see what hijinks Hawkeye and Trapper John, or in later seasons BJ, would get into. They empathized with Radar's naivety and Hot Lips' commitment to service. "MASH" was one of the most viewed television shows to take audiences inside the life of a servicemember. 

2. "China Beach"
Another military medical program was "China Beach." Where "MASH" dealt with the issues of war with a comedic approach, "China Beach" was more for the drama-lovers. This show's three-year run focused on Nurse Colleen McMurphy experiences during the Vietnam War. In four seasons, this show drew inspiration from the book "Home Before Morning," which was written by a U.S. Army Nurse Lynda Van Devanter.

3. "Hogan's Heroes"
This hilarious sitcom ran for six seasons and brought many laughs to the viewing population. Centered around the clumsy Hogan and his crew at a Prisoners of War {camp?} during World War II, "Hogan's Heroes" was one of the earliest regular programs that depicted military life. The comedic situations and Col. Klink's avoidance of the frontlines was something that families could enjoy together week-after-week. Though the show was meant to be a farce, its six-year run drew attention to military life.

4. "JAG"
Approaching military life from a legal perspective, "JAG" gave viewers a chance to witness military laws in action. The show focused on Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr., a former pilot who later became the Judge Advocate General. The show was canceled by NBC after its first season, but viewers loved it so much that it was picked up by CBS, where it went on to have nine successful seasons.  Anyone who tuned into JAG from 1995 to 2005 was treated to an in-depth look at the process of prosecuting military crimes. This show also served as the driving point for shows like "NCIS."

5. "Army Wives"
Lifetime network took a whole new approach to military-based programming with this show. Instead of focusing on servicemembers, "Army Wives" focuses on the spouses and families of soldiers. It showed the rest of the world what it meant to be married to a servicemember. Viewers tuned in to watch the lives of four Army wives and one Army husband on a Charleston, South Carolina, base. "Army Wives" was based on Tanya Biank's nonfiction book "Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives."

From sitcoms to dramas, television gives audiences the chance to escape their everyday lives and experience something they would not have had the opportunity to otherwise. Since the first programs were released, networks have aired a variety of military inspired shows. The lovable characters of "MASH" made the horrors of working in a military medical hospital a little more bearable while "JAG" educated people on the legal processes of the service. Television shows have made military service and the plights of servicemembers more relatable to audiences.

With so many veterans entering life after service in the coming years, many government agencies are working to recruit these former servicemembers to fill open positions. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is one of these agencies actively seeking veterans for employment.

In fact, nearly 30 percent of all the CBP employees are veterans, according to Military Times. This agency wants to put special emphasis on the hiring of female veterans. Many of the female former servicemembers who were recruited by the CBP found the transition easy, as border protection jobs use many of the same skills that they learned in the military.

"My training helped me gain confidence – it helped me become a leader," Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephanie Anaya told Military Times. "So for me, it wasn't a matter of being male or female, it was a matter of joining an organization that had a sense of purpose."

The CBP is so interested in bringing female veterans into its ranks that it even posted jobs in 2014 that were "Restricted to Female Applicants Only," as reported by the news source. Many of the females already employed with the CBP told Military Times that the work was rewarding and they were happy with the job.

There comes a time in every servicemember's life when it is time to leave the military. Like any civilian career, retirement is inevitable. This is a time in your life when you should be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and retirement planning can help make the retirement process a little easier.

1. Create a retirement plan
Most successes have one thing in common: good planning. It is never too early to begin making decisions about your financial future. The American Savings Education Counsel reported that individuals who calculated how much they would need in retirement saved five times as much as those who did not. You can either consult a financial planner to assist you with retirement efforts or use your military resources to plan on your own.

2. Take advantage of transitional counseling
The military requires servicemembers to attend pre-separation counseling within 24 months of retirement. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about things like relocation assistance, life insurance, medical insurance and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. Take this chance to ask the questions you have and get them answered by professionals.

3. Begin saving as early as possible
Most financial experts recommend that you start saving for retirement around the age of 40, if not before. However, it is never too late to start saving. Some emergency funding is better than none, after all. Even if you have no retirement funds set up, begin setting aside funds the moment you decide to leave service. 

4. Know how to calculate your retirement pay
Understanding how to calculate your retirement pay is a crucial part of planning. The military has two programs called the Final Pay and High 36 retirement systems. These calculation methods will help you determine how much you will be making in retirement. This knowledge can help with budgeting and other financial planning. Click here to learn more about the calculation methods.

5. Consider a retirement job
Military.com reported that there are two benefits from working during retirement: added financial security and emotional health. Sometimes retirees getting a feeling of being obsolete. However, by maintaining a job in retirement they can continue to feel like a part of society. The added financial benefits of a retirement job can make life a little less stressful.

6. Remain positive
While retirement can be an opportunity to experience new things in life, it can also be a time of a little sadness. You will be leaving behind close military friends, familiarity and a job you probably love. It is important to focus on the positives involved with separation from service. 

Retirement is an exciting time when you can take trips, pursue new hobbies and spend time with family. To make this time in your life less stressful, you should begin planning for retirement as soon as possible. Use your military connections to get assistance when you need it, and plan your finances wisely to get the most of your life after service. 

Military members dedicate their lives and their careers to serving others, so it is only right that society gives back to these individuals in some way. Many businesses offer military discounts to show their gratitude to servicemembers and veterans. The most common areas that offer these discounts are restaurants, outings and services.

Restaurants
There is nothing quite as special as sharing a meal with family, especially when your servicemember has been deployed for awhile. Restaurants like Fuddrucker’s, Texas Roadhouse and Bennigan’s are three of the most popular military-friendly dining establishments. See the infographic below for the specific discounts at each location.

Outings
Military life can be stressful on both servicemembers and families. Sometimes it is nice to escape it all for a day. Park Ride Fly USA, the off-site parking lots for airports, offer great military discounts that will making getting away even easier. Sandals Resorts make a great vacation for military families, as the company offers discounted travel packages for servicemembers. For military families who would rather stay closer to home, Showcase Cinemas also offer discounted tickets to servicemembers and their families upon the presentation of a valid military ID.

Services
What better way to honor servicemembers than by providing discount services? Every servicemember and his or her family will need to go grocery shopping at some point and CostCo has them covered. The grocery chain offers military discounts on their items, making the life of military members a little easier. Apple and AT&T also want to make things easier for servicemembers by offering a discount on electronics and phone/internet services.

Military members deserve gratitude for their service, and many businesses show their appreciation by offering discounted goods and services for individuals with a military ID. For a more in-depth look at places that offer military discounts, check out the infographic below.

The World Firefighter Combat Challenge pits the best firefighters from around the world against each other in competition. According to WSFA 12 News, challengers will climb a five-story tower, grab a heavy hose and descend the tower again. They must then pull a 175 pound dummy down a stretch of the competition grounds, and they must do all of this while wearing 80 pounds of fire gear or more. 

The world finals for this event was recently held in Montgomery, Alabama. The news source reported that over 600 firefighters showed up to compete. Many of the competitors were large, very fit men. However, Sarah Fraiser, a firefighter with the Clinton Fire Department in Mississippi, wants people to know the challenge is not just for men. In fact, 5 percent of this year's participants are women, according to the news source. 

The 33-year-old mother of one told WSFA 12 News that the challenge was tough but she was proud to be a part of it. Fraiser and another female firefighter, Cheri Ardion of Louisiana, both did well enough in their brackets to move on to the next round. 

The finals will take place on Oct. 24. 

There is plenty of hype surrounding the upcoming release of "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens." Yet, many people do not realize that one of the stars of the will-be-blockbuster is a former servicemember. 

Adam Driver, who is credited on IMDB as Kylo Ren in the new film, once served in the Marine Corps. Driver told Rolling Stone that he had not considered going into the military until his stepfather convinced him it was a way out of small town life in Mishawaka, Indiana. 

"I was having an argument with my stepfather, and he was like, 'Why don't you join the Marine Corps?'' Driver told Rolling Stone. "And I was like, 'Noooo! Well, maybe, actually.'"

According to Fox 411, Driver enlisted after 9/11 and spent two years and eight months as a Marine Lance Cpl. Unfortunately, the actor injured his sternum in a mountain biking accident and was medically discharged from service. Soon after, he pursued his passion for acting. 

He has been in the HBO series "Girls," the Jason Bateman movie "This is Where I Leave You" and "Inside Llewyn Davis." 

Despite his Hollywood success, Driver still keeps close ties with the military. Fox 411 reported that he runs a nonprofit organization called Arts in the Armed Forces, which allows servicemembers to see theater troop performances for free. 

"Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" will be in theaters Dec. 18.