Servicemembers and their families face a number of substantial challenges. Whether they're coping with having a loved one deployed overseas or navigating the process of re-integrating into civilian life, it's important for military families to reach out to the myriad service available to them. While it's sometimes not clear what benefits they have at their disposal, the Department of Defense's Yellow Ribbon Program hopes to change that. 

The Yellow Ribbon Program offer a variety of services ranging from tuition assistance to suicide prevention, and a recent event at Fort Washington in Maryland helped show military families what assistance they could take advantage of, reports WTOP-FM. Program manager Jeff Campbell says it's important for families to focus on more than just one aspect of military life.

"The program itself, the purpose of it, is to make sure the families are stabilized when the service member is serving the country," he told the radio station. "Also, when [servicemembers] return, to give them integration tools in order to get back with the family to hit the ground and run again."

DOD officials launched the Yellow Ribbon Program in an effort to specifically help National Guardsmen and Reserves, something which is especially important given the last decade-plus of war. Since 2001, hundreds of thousands of Reserves and Guardsmen have been called up to active duty service. 

Being an active duty servicemember often requires troops to survive in some of the harshest conditions in the world, so it should come as no surprise that several of the participants in the upcoming Badwater Ultramarathon have served in the military.  Aside from being a true test of endurance this challenging 135-mile road race takes place in Death Valley, Calif., which is home to some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded on Earth. The race kicks off July 15, and fans should not be surprised if one of the three troops entered takes home the win, according to Military Times.

Rookies and veterans
Among those making the trip to Death Valley is Army Cpl. Doug Long, who will be participating in the lengthy race for the first time. However, he is certainly no stranger to running extremely long distances. He trained with ultramarathoner Navy Lt. j.g. Hannah Roberts, who has run several 100-plus mile races herself. Aside from helping him train, she also provided insight into how to pace oneself for such a long race.

"The biggest surprise last year was what happens after 100 miles, and just seeing how Hannah dealt with that," Long told the news source. "She was moving so well up until that 100-mile mark – she did 100 miles in under 24 hours – but it took her 10 hours to go that next 35 miles. That was something I'd never thought about before."

Army Capt. Matt Doellman will also be making his first trip to the Badwater Ultramarathon. Meanwhile, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) David Goggins, will be making his fourth trip and his first since 2008. 

All for a good cause
The three servicemember participants are running for more than just themselves. Each is running to support a charity – Wounded Wear, Fisher House and Special Operations Warrior Foundation to be precise. Doellman has participated in many long fundraising runs before, Military Times reports. Last year he set out to complete the so-called Grand Slam of Ultrarunning – the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run, the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run and the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Run – all to support Fisher House. 

Being deployed overseas is a challenge for all servicemember​s, but this is especially true for troops who are stationed in particularly dangerous locations. As a result, the military offers some of its members with imminent danger pay, which can sometimes be as high as an extra $225 a month. However, top Department of Defense officials are considering ending the payments for troops serving in certain areas that may no longer pose such a threat, Stars and Stripes reports.

Cost-cutting move
The DOD has been tasked with trimming billions of dollars from its budget over the next several years, and limiting danger pay is seen as good start. Currently, there are nearly 50 countries that qualify for the additional compensation, but officials say some of them are not as dangerous as they once were. Although troops stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Syria, among others, will still see the extra pay, the practice may end for servicemembers in Jordan, Haiti and some former Soviet republics, The Associated Press notes. Although the cuts might save some money, troops say it may not be worth the cost to morale. 

"When you take away any combat pay," a captain from Fort Bragg told The Fayetteville Observer. "You take away financial incentive for the veteran who sacrifices his life and limbs. It's understandable that the Pentagon wants to save money, but there are smarter ways to be fiscally responsible. It impacts everyone forward deployed."

One of many changes
Although there is no final decision yet on who will see an end to danger pay, the discussion is indicative of the growing importance of changing the financial structure of the military. One of the most controversial issues has been the amount of the annual pay raise troops receive. In June, President Barack Obama suggested that active duty troops see a 1 percent pay raise, which would be a bit lower than the 1.8 percent recommended from the House Appropriations Committee's Defense spending bill. Even though it was a small decrease, the lower raise was expected to save considerable amount of money. However, Congress did not take Obama's suggestion and passed a bill shortly after that included the 1.8 percent raise, according to GovernmentExecutive.com

Among the most ambitious initiatives launched by the Department of Veterans affairs in recent years is the commitment to end homelessness among veterans by 2015. The VA has made considerable progress as of late, but the most recent figures put about 62,000 vets still living on the streets. In an effort to reach its goal, the VA recently awarded $300 million in grants to hundreds of community agencies around the country – triple last year's spending, Stars and Stripes reports.

Success so far
The grants are provided as part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families, and have largely been successful since the initiative began. After the first year of grants were awarded, officials found that about 86 percent of beneficiaries remained in some form of permanent housing. Experts anticipate that approximately 120,000 veterans and their families stand to gain from this most recent batch of grants. One of the biggest focuses of the SSVF is to help equip servicemembers with the tools to avoid becoming homeless in the first place.

"If you want to end homelessness, you have to rescue those on the streets," Vincent Kane, acting executive director of the VA's homeless initiative, told Stars and Stripes. "But you also need to have a strategy to help those who could end up in trouble, before they end up homeless."

Combined effort
The VA is not the only government body playing a role in ending veteran homelessness. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is also involved in the process, and together the two departments operate a program known as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing. Specifically, the initiative draws from the rental assistance offered by HUD and pairs it with the case services offered by the VA. VASH can pay up to 70 percent of a veteran's rent while also helping vets get their lives back on track. Such was the case for Illinois resident James Usher, a former Marine who teamed up with the program several years ago.

"When I got into HUD-VASH in March 2008, it changed my life," Usher, 60, told the Lake Country News-Sun. "I got clean and sober. I adjusted to a clean environment and clean people who were sober."

Veterans often have a wide variety of benefits available to them upon separating from service, but all too often they may not realize exactly what they're entitled to. This can be a significant source of frustration, so one servicemember took it upon himself to help make the process a bit easier. Wolfgang Ward created a website and corresponding app, the Benefits Report Corporation, which offers vets a personalized look at their benefits, according to The Monterey Country Herald.

The app requires very little work on the part of users. When veterans first download it, they have to fill out a short survey about their military history, and then the app provides them with a list of the benefits and services they're entitled to. These benefits can include well-known programs such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill as well as discounts at local business and corporations. Ward says it's important for vets to be familiar with their benefits before they disappear. 

"There are tons of services out there," Ward told the newspaper. "If you don't utilize these services, they'll eventually go away because the government will quit funding them. The government is starting to check their pocketbook."

Ward's new app isn't the only piece of technology designed to help veterans. For instance, in 2011 the Department of Veterans Affairs released the PTSD Coach app, which is designed to help servicemembers managing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Creating electronic medical records has been a focus of officials at both the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs for much of the last several years. A new system would ensure that troops transitioning from active duty to veteran life will have their medical records seamlessly follow them. However, progress has been painstakingly slow, and lawmakers recently asked for an update, Stars and Stripes reports.

Officials from both the VA and DOD spoke before a joint session of the House Armed Services and House Veteran Affairs committees, where they told top congressmen that they are on track to have electronic medical records in place soon and able to be shared between departments by the end of the year. Legislators say the delays have made them skeptical while also making it more difficult for vets to receive much needed benefits.

"We have spent hundreds of millions of dollars," Rep. Mike Michaud said at the hearing, according to Stars and Stripes. "Delaying the delivery of an integrated – that is integrated, not interoperable – information-sharing system runs directly against Congressional intent, and ultimately hurts our veterans."

Having a streamlined system could help reduce the backlog facing the VA. According to the department, there was a backlog of more than 833,000 in late June.

Thanks to initiatives led by both the public and private sectors, the job market for veterans has steadily improved in recent months. Yet, while the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans has fallen below the national average, experts say there is still some work to be done. As thousands of troops prepare to return home from Afghanistan over the next 18 months, it's important that lawmakers do not get complacent, veterans advocates say, according to Military Times.

According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the June unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans was at 7.2 percent. An encouraging figure to be sure, but it does not tell the whole story. Specifically, for servicemembers under the age of 24, the rate was nearly triple that – 20.5 percent. The unemployment rate among National Guard and Reserve members was also considerably higher than the rest of the military population.

"This indicates persistent gaps for members of the Guard and reserve in military skill transferability and civilian skill attainment," Ryan Gallucci of Veterans of Foreign Wars told the news source.

While it may be difficult for servicemembers to translate their skills to the civilian realm, some changes have been made to close this gap. One such program was launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Known as the Personal Branding Resume Engine, the website helps veterans sell their military skills to potential employers. 

Many wounded warriors find it difficult to return to their previous levels of activity, and this can be especially challenging for servicemember​s who were used to spending time outdoors before their injury. One base in particular has taken steps to help them out. Alabama's Fort Rucker recently added a new boat to its ranks dubbed The Warrior, which is specially designed to help bring wounded troops out on the water, reports the Army Flier.

Officials at the installation made the decision to purchase the boat after hearing how wounded troops wanted more opportunities for outdoor recreation. The boat includes a number of features that make it easy for injured soldiers to get on and off, such as a wheelchair ramp and locking system. It also features specialized controls and a remote controlled anchor. Wounded warriors can use the boat for everything from a day on the water with the family to water sports such as tubing. Organizers hope the purchase will encourage others to follow suit.

"I just hope these recreational enhancements will bring the local communities closer together to support the wounded warriors and their families," John Clancy, the manager of Fort Rucker's Outdoor Recreation program, told the news source.

Clancy raises an important point given the number of injured servicemembers. According to Department of Defense statistics, more than 50,000 troops have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The Pentagon and White House has proposed a number of changes that could impact the financial future of military families, but one of the most controversial was an increase to retail pharmacy co-pays and fees for TRICARE beneficiaries, mostly retirees. The suggestion had been met with significant resistance, and Congress took a significant step forward in making sure the fee increase are not implemented, according to Military Times. 

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee rejected all of the proposals included in the 2014 defense authorization bill that would have made changes such as increased enrollment fees and steeper pharmacy co-pays. The vote comes after the House took the same action and, as a result, the Pentagon will be limited to increasing fees only at the level of current cost of living adjustments. So servicemembers will see no increases higher than 1.7 percent starting Oct. 1. Still, lawmakers admit some changes need to be made.

"TRICARE is, quite frankly, unsustainable without reform," Sen. Lindsey Graham said last month. "We haven't increased premiums since 1995 but once, and it's really pitting the military between health care benefits for retirees and funding the force."

Increasing fees on working-age retirees could help the Pentagon save a considerable amount of money. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Department of Defense could save billions, according to Navy Times.

Getting accepted to West Point is an impressive achievement for anyone, so one family from Texas is certainly filled with pride. Brothers Sumner, Cole and Noah Ogrydziak were recently accepted to West Point and are expected to graduate in 2017, marking one of the few times in the academy's storied history it has accepted three siblings into the same class, according to The Associated Press.

Sumner and Cole, twins, are 18 while their older brother Noah recently turned 19. The last time West Point accepted three siblings was in 1981, when twins Rose and Anne Forrester joined their older brother John. As for the Orgydziak's, they seemed destined to attend the academy. Their family has a long military history, with their father currently serving in the Coast Guard and their mother having served 10 years herself. Regardless of how often they see one another, the brothers are happy they won't be alone.

"It helps knowing that your brothers are here, even though we're going to be separated all across campus in different companies, but I'm sure we'll see each other and it will help keep morale a little bit higher," Sumner told the AP.

Graduating from West Point is certainly no easy task. About 81 percent of admitted students make it through the rigorous coursework and high standards, according to The New York Times.