Everyone finds healing in a different way. This month, veterans in Chicago have been using art to not only heal from their service during wartime, but to share those experiences with others. 

On Friday, June 12, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago will host the CreatiVets Final Exhibition, an exhibit that will showcase the artwork of veterans. The show is a culmination of a three-week course where the participants studied different mediums of art and used these resources to express their experience, the SAIC reported.

The program was cosponsored by CreatiVets, a nonprofit that encourages veterans to use art, music and writing to find healing. After years of struggling with depression, anxiety and stress after returning from Iraq, Marine veteran Richard Casper found that playing guitar and creating with clay were his most effective forms of relief. He founded CreatiVets in the fall of 2013 to try to give other veterans the same therapy that he had found successful.

In addition to giving the veterans a therapeutic technique for expression and healing, the three-week course also connected them with others who have been through similar experiences, a form of healing in and of itself. 

"Everybody's sharing so much information on way of life and struggles that we have in common," Marine veteran Eugene Soto told DNAinfo Chicago. "It's a lot easier to work with other veterans."

Soto is working on a plaster piece about a friend who died after being wounded in Iraq, DNAinfo Chicago reported. 

"Just being there with him, and just hearing his last words, that's something that's always been with me," Soto said. 

The exhibition will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the SAIC's LeRoy Neiman Center. 

Though the number of women in the military is on the rise, many female veterans still have trouble obtaining the resources that they need once they return from service. A new campaign by the Department of Veterans Affairs aims to address that problem. 

On June 2, the VA announced a nationwide series of one-day events that will serve to raise awareness while celebrating the stories of female veterans. The events will provide an overview of the benefits and services available to women vets and provide experts to answer related questions. Staff members from the VA and local agencies that aid veterans will also be in attendance. 

The events are part of a national campaign launched by the VA in March 2015 entitled "Women Veterans: Celebrating Our Stories of Service," and will be held in St. Petersburg, Florida (June 12), San Diego, California (July 10), Houston, Texas (Aug. 7), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (Sept. 14) and Washington, D.C. (Sept. 22). 

"We have found that our women veterans often put the needs of others first," said Elisa Basnight, director of VA's Center for Women Veterans. "We encourage them to make themselves a priority, to learn about the benefits and services which they've earned through their dedicated service. We are bringing our experts to them, where they are." 

A report released in 2014 by the Disabled American Veterans showed that serious gender gaps existed in nearly every service provided to veterans, The Associated Press reported. 

The VA hopes that the campaign will start conversations about what can be done to better meet the needs of female veterans in the U.S. 

Helmets may soon be able to protect soldiers more effectively than ever thanks to technology currently used to keep football players safe. 

The U.S. Army awarded the University of Southern Mississippi a $4.9 million research contract for the development and testing of a helmet that will better protect U.S. soldiers, the school reported. The university's School of Polymers and High Performance Materials has previously worked on cushioning used in football helmets. 

According to The Associated Press, the liner will be a cutting-edge pneumatic cushioning system that provides better protection for soldiers against blunt force impact.    

"Southern Miss researchers have an opportunity to accelerate technology that can better protect our men and women in the military from head injuries and brain trauma," said U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi in the Southern Miss news release. "Advances in this area have the potential to be life changing for American servicemembers …" 

The current Southern Miss Pneumatic Cushioning technology used in football helmets was made through a partnership with Rawlings Sporting Goods, the university reported. The grant from the military will allow the institute to do further work to develop next-generation pneumatic cushioning that would take the lining to new levels.

According to Southern Miss, preliminary tests in unoptimized prototypes already showed a 30 percent improvement over current Army padding in ambient conditions (70 degrees Fahrenheit), and a 60 percent increase in hot temperatures (130 degrees Fahrenheit). The cushioning technology will continue to be tested over a broad temperature range to reflect the diverse environmental conditions experienced during combat. 

Search and rescue technology designed in the U.S. was successfully used to rescue four men trapped by the April 25 earthquake in Nepal.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response, or FINDER, was able to locate the men by detecting their heartbeats under up to 10 feet of debris. 

FINDER was created in a joint effort between the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. While it is now being licensed for use in search and rescue, National Geographic magazine reported that the technology was originally developed for sensing other planets. 

FINDER is so precise that it is able to distinguish between human, mechanical and animal movement, Homeland Security reported. Picking up on human motions like breathing and heartbeats can allow emergency responders to find even unconscious victims who are unable to call for help. 

According to National Geographic, this was the first time that FINDER technology was used in a real disaster situation. 

"The true test of any technology is how well it works in a real-life operational setting," said Reginald Brothers, undersecretary for DHS Science and Technology. "Of course, no one wants disasters to occur, but tools like this are designed to help when our worst nightmares do happen. I am proud that we were able to provide the tools to help rescue these four men."

The success of the mission could lead to use of the technology in similar situations, allowing emergency responders to save people who would otherwise be impossible to locate. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating mental condition that impacts the lives of many retired servicemembers. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11-20 percent of veterans who served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom experience PTSD in a given year. 

The PTSD Foundation of America noted that nearly 40 percent of those affected by the condition do not seek the help they need. Reaching out to the servicemembers in need of assistance with enhanced therapy methods is important to reducing the impact that PTSD has on the veteran population.

New stress reliever for PTSD
ABC 57 News explained that Tammy Stackhouse opened Magical Meadows Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Warsaw, Indiana, to children and adults with special needs seven years ago. She wanted to create a place where people could find themselves through their connection with the horses. 

This year was the first time that the ranch was opened to veterans as a sanctuary where they could leave behind their PTSD symptoms. The horses and the natural beauty of the farm help veterans to enjoy the simple aspects of life in order to fully relax. All retired servicemembers can sign up to use the horses free of charge. 

"[They] have therapy that helps them recover from their visible and invisible battle wounds that they might have suffered while they have served our country," Stackhouse told ABC 57 News.

The ranch plans to hold a Flag Day celebration on June 14 in honor of the country's veterans. 

Vets find companionship in horses
Ted Grubbs, an Army Reserve veteran, has been relying on the horses as therapy. He told ABC 57 News that life after service can be lonely and that the horses have served as companions during difficult times.

"When you get released into civilian world, you lose your battle buddy," he told ABC 57 News. "Your battle buddy is the guy to the left and right of you who you can always count on."

Grubbs was afraid of Sebastian, one of the horses, when he first started the therapy. Riding him made Grubbs extremely uneasy. However, the two are now good friends. 

"He's my bud now, I love him to death," he told the news source.

Sebastian has helped Grubbs overcome the negative effects that the war had on him, providing him with a chance to relax and think about other things, a task that can be challenging after returning to civilian life.

Homelessness is a major problem that military veterans often face during life after service. In fact, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that 49,933 veterans are homeless in the U.S. on any given night. 

Most of these retired servicemembers do not receive the support they need to overcome homelessness, as Veterans Affairs can only manage to take care of approximately 150,000 of these veterans a year. To change this, three Cabinet members visited Tucson, Arizona, to establish strategies to end homelessness for military veterans. 

Cabinet members work to end veteran homelessness 
According to the Tucson Sentinel, the secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Labor, Robert McDonald, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez, traveled to Tucson to meet with local veterans who had been homeless upon returning from service. Tucson in particular has had a lot of success with fighting the issues of veteran homelessness. 

The three Cabinet members also connected with Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. The group discussed the importance of serving military veterans who have spent years sacrificing their lives to serve their country. 

"By adopting policies like Housing First, by championing the kind of collaboration that this employment center is right at the heart of, they are making the end of veteran homelessness something that is within reach," Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro told Tucson News Now.

At the Pima County Employment Center, the secretaries heard from local veterans who discussed some of the most significant challenges after deployment, some of which were the greatest obstacles they have ever had to face in their lives. However, many have gone on to become college graduates and start full-time jobs, thanks to the support of their city. 

What are the biggest obstacles?
To help retired servicemembers begin making money, the first step is preparing them for the job hunting process. Art Burrola, the program coordinator at Kino Veteran's Work Center, explained to Tucson News Now that job training and placement is the biggest obstacle the center faces. 

The Kino Veteran's Work Center's large funding program, which the city relied on to help find veterans jobs, dried up a few months ago, making the process even more challenging. The program was responsible for providing around $8 million for local employment and training. 

Success stories
Tucson News Now noted that Brenda Hunter was one of the many veterans who benefited from the program's funding. She was in the Marine Corps for over four years. While serving, her home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. She found herself in Tucson, where she remained homeless until she located the veteran services program at Kino. 

"I graduated from Pima recently with an associate degree in science in computer network. Without these services, I probably would have ended up dead," she said.

Another success story is Cliff Wade, who ended up spending time in prison after retirement, according to the news source. However, the program saved him, pushing him to get an education and join the fight to help his fellow homeless veterans with Old Pueblo Community Services. Although there are plenty of people working to improve the lives for homeless veterans, Wade pointed out that it is still a work in progress.

"It's not an overnight fix, we don't have enough housing, of course we can work to get more. Funding is key, case management is key. Homeless into housing, majority can't do it without case management," Wade explained to Tucson News Now.

After hearing these stories, the secretaries traveled to Las Vegas to continue their quest to learn more about the issue of veteran homelessness and how to solve it. 

Fairfax County, Virginia, will host this year's World Police and Fire Games. The Games have been a tradition since 1985, welcoming law enforcement officers and firefighters from around the world to compete in a wide range of exciting sports competitions. 

The Armed Force Benefits Association is a proud sponsor of this year's Games, which has attracted over 12,000 international athletes and 30,000 spectators over the years, according to the WPFG website. The 2015 Games, to be held from June 26-July 5, are expected to be one of the most successful Games so far. 

The history
The World Police & Fire Games Federation, a nonprofit organization run by the California Police Athletic Federation, started the first-ever World Police & Fire Games in 1985. Since the first event took place in San Jose, California, the Games have taken place every two years in various locations across the globe, including Sweden, Spain, Ireland and Australia. The Fairfax Games will be the first to be held in a suburban area.

With over 60 sporting events to participate in, servicemembers, including corrections officers, firefighters, policemen and customs officers, have the opportunity to register for the events of their choice.

Who can participate?
All men and women who choose to participate must be at least 18 years of age and be employed as a law enforcement officer at the time of registration. They must have officer training, be a member of an eligible agency and have been appointed as an official servicemember by their agency. However, law enforcement officers or firefighters from an eligible agency who have formally retired are also encouraged to participate.

There will be 53 venues in Fairfax for the sports events, which include traditional races and competitions that often take place in the Olympics, such as track and field, hockey and boxing. However, the Games also feature special competitions like paintballing, rifle and ammunition tournaments, baseball and pocket billiards. Most events are separated by age group and all contact sports have different events for men and women. Over 1,600 medals are awarded throughout the 10-day event.

An opportunity to show appreciation
The Games would not be possible without the support and money raised by local, regional and national sponsors. President and CEO of WPFG Bill Knight told The Washington Times that he also hopes to have around 4,000 volunteers help the event run smoothly. It is a great way for Fairfax residents as well as friends and family of servicemembers to give back and show appreciation. 

"Volunteers are the spirit of the games," Knight explained to The Washington Times. "For any games of this matter, they are the No. 1 resource. We rely on them even more heavily because these games operate under a much more modest budget than other games of this size. We've got a lot of diversity in this area. At the end of the day, we need to welcome the world. This is our opportunity to do that."

Those interested in volunteering can sign up on the WPFG website. Most volunteer positions require four shifts over the 10 days the games will be held. There are a variety of positions available, such as public relations and marketing operations, language services, on-site customer service and registration assistance. 

After taking place in Fairfax this year, the WPFG has a set location of Montreal, Canada, in 2017 and Chengdu, China, in 2019. Opening ceremonies for the games will be at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on June 26. 

The role of the first responder is constantly changing. Consequently, the technology and strategies used to respond to an emergency should be evolving as well. 

This year, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate launched a number of programs as part of a five-year campaign that aims to increase the safety, communication and awareness of tomorrow's first responders, Homeland Security reported. The Next Generation First Responder Apex Program will use new technology to accelerate first responder response times and decision-making so that more lives can be saved.

According to FirstResponder.gov, the program began with a list of 14 technology priorities put forward by first responders. The First Responder Resource Group and the InterAgency Board also contributed to the list of priorities.The list highlights needs that responders see when they are responding to emergency situations. By addressing the proposed areas, Homeland Security hopes to close capability gaps and further the response team's ability to protect both themselves and others. 

A number of Apex programs are examining how technology can be used to aid first responders in emergencies. Possible innovations include tech applications like real-time network data exchange and wearable sensor technology that aim to increase situational awareness. The NGFR is also looking to enhance uniforms with improvements such as fire resistance and splash protection, while increasing wearability and comfort.  

As prototypes are developed, they will be put through a series of thorough evaluations and testing with first responders. Successful solutions will then be implemented as they become available into the emergency response community to be used on the job. 

Civil War history is lying under the waters of the Savannah River. With the help of a U.S. Navy dive team, it may be salvaged. 

The CSS Georgia, an ironclad warship, was built to protect the city of Savannah, Georgia, in 1862, Navy Times reported. It was scuttled in the river near the end of the Civil War.

Navy Times reported that Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 23 was deployed to the site on June 1 and will spend just under two months freeing the Confederate ship from the bottom of the river.

According to The Associated Press, the divers will remove the wreckage in the following categories: four cannons, live ordinance, forward and aft armor casements, and engine remnants.

CWO3 Jason Potts, commander of MDSC-23, told Navy Times that the environment will provide the team with the biggest challenge. Because the remains of the ship are on the edge of a shipping channel, the divers will have to battle strong currents and shifting debris. 

Army Pvt. Henry Johnson and Army Sgt. William Shemin may be gone, but their service to this country is not forgotten. 

On June 2, President Obama awarded the two men the Medal of Honor posthumously for their heroic actions during World War I.  

According to the LA Times, Johnson served in the 369th Infantry Regiment, an all-black unit, where he was lauded for his bravery when he prevented German soldiers from capturing himself and an injured companion during a nighttime attack. This included engaging in hand-to-hand combat after his gun jammed. He was honored by the French government, but was not recognized at home. 

Shemin was a rifleman in Company G, 47th Infantry Regiment, who exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in France to rescue wounded soldiers, and then took command of his platoon when the commanding officers were killed, the White House reported. The award was accepted by his daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth.

"It has taken a long time for Henry Johnson and William Shemin to receive the recognition they deserve, and there are surely others whose heroism is still unacknowledged and uncelebrated," Obama said at the ceremony. "So we have work to do, as a nation, to make sure all our heroes' stories are told."

The Medal of Honor is awarded to military members who go above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action, displaying conduct that involves great self-sacrifice or personal bravery while risking their life. The White House reported that there must be incontestable proof to these merit-worthy actions. 

While the White House did not give a reason for the delay in awarding the Medals of Honor, Newsweek reported that many believe it to be the result of racism, as Johnson was black and Shemin was Jewish. 

In his speech, President Obama stated that awarding these men righted a great wrong.