Wounded warriors can follow a number of different paths toward recovery, but adaptive sports are one of the most popular options. From basketball to lacrosse, slight variations on sports have helped many injured troops regain their physical strength after sustaining serious injuries, and experts say they have also been an effective way to heal emotional wounds, reports the Army's official website.

Much of this recovery takes place at Military Adaptive Sports Program (MASP) which is located at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The program is open to all wounded and ill troops, and offers opportunities to participate in a wide variety of activities including cycling, running and swimming. While the physical benefits are certainly substantial, officials say the program goes well beyond lowering blood pressure and managing weight.

"Mentally and emotionally, service members benefit from the camaraderie and support of a team environment and participation allows them to focus on contributing to a team's success," Amanda Kelly, Adaptive Sports site coordinator, told the website.

Adaptive sports have also proven to be particularly affective at managing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and traumatic brain injuries, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Military children face many challenges. Frequent moves coupled with spending time apart from their parents can certainly be difficult, and as communities across the country recognize the Month of the Military Child, some Indiana groups are hoping to shed light on some of the positive aspects of military life, the Journal and Courier reports.

The initiative is being led by the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University and an organization called Indiana Operation Military Kids. The two groups say that some military children keep a positive outlook in the face of challenges. Emily, Stephanie and Sarah Huff are all living proof of the silver lining of having parents serving in the Armed Forces. Emily, 11, says that frequent moves offer the chance to experience something new. 

"It's always something different," she told the newspaper. "Seeing different places and trying new foods."

Furthermore, technology has changed the way military families stay in touch with one another. Skype, Facebook and other social media tools have helped make the time apart less difficult. 

The MFRI operates many other programs geared toward improving the lives of military children and their families, including initiatives such as Operation Diploma, which has contributed more than $2 million to help servicemembers and their families get degrees.

Recent statistics revealed that more military family members are making use of post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, but starting later this year servicemembers will see some changes. Beginning Aug. 1, soldiers who transfer their benefits to a spouse or child will have to serve an additional four years in the Armed Forces, according to Army News Service.

The changes will largely impact senior officials and retirement-age soldiers. They come as military officials look to increase recruitment and retention efforts. Under the current guidelines, senior officers and retirement-eligible troops can transfer their benefits with anywhere from zero to three years of additional service. The announcement came in a memo released earlier this month and experts expect it will give troops enough time to plan ahead.

"We want soldiers to be informed of the impact of this change in policy," Lt. Col. Mark Viney told the news source. "This is going to impact their decisions and their families, and whether or not they are going to have this money available to find their dependent's education."

The post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most popular benefits troops receive. Under the bill, soldiers receive full tuition for public in-state universities, which can help put them on the fast track earning licenses, certification and degrees. 

When the Pentagon ended its policy excluding female soldiers from direct combat positions earlier this year, it removed one of the final barriers for women in the military, and now top officials are getting to work on eliminating one of the final obstacles. U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) leaders recently spoke with lawmakers about opening up positions such as Navy Seals and Army Rangers to women, Military.com reports.

Among those leading the charge is SOCOM Commander Adm. William McRaven, who said he and others are looking into devising a specific plan to provide more SOCOM opportunities to female soldiers. Currently, the only opportunities open to them are cultural liaisons and other positions that don't involve combat. The process will be a long one, however, with officials expecting the transition to be made by the first quarter of 2016 at the earliest.

"We're building a plan to do that, looking at doctrine, training and deployment. I've got to find out whether we can pull that off – because I am committed to doing that and have seen the value," McRaven told lawmakers, according to the website.

The change in policy comes at a time when much of the Armed Forces is in flux. Aside from the impending budget cuts, the military is still on pace to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

With upwards of 1 million soldiers separating from service in the coming years, the civilian community will likely have to adapt in a wide variety of ways. This is especially true on college campuses where many servicemembers are expected to take advantage of their education benefits and pursue new degrees, certification or licenses. Dr. Jill Biden, who spearheads the Joining Forces initiative with first lady Michelle Obama, recently paid a visit to George Washington University to see how its officials are preparing for the expected influx of veterans.

One of the biggest programs on campus geared toward helping out servicemembers is led by the student group GW Vets. Biden also met with representatives from The Rendering Project, which relies on the experiences of veteran students to create works of art. After discussing such initiatives with students, Biden says she feels encouraged that schools around the country can do the same.

"As a teacher for more than 30 years, I always say that what I see in my classroom is inspiring," she wrote on the White House's website. "Many of my students are veterans who are hoping additional education will help move them ahead in their careers."

Making it easier for veterans to enter the classroom may help lower the unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans, which currently stands a bit higher than the civilian population. 

When First Sgt. Bernard Madore, 1st Lt. Steve Fiola and Staff Sgt. Mark Welch began walking the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon route on Monday carrying the rucksacks, they could have never envisioned their supplies would have been put to good use. Yet the trio of Guardsmen, who made the arduous journey as part of Tough Ruck 2013, which raises money for the Military Friends Foundation, quickly put their training to use once two bombs turned the finish line into a war zone, USA Today reports.

Battlefield memories
Madore is no stranger to being in the line of fire. A Somerville, Mass., native, he spent nearly two years deployed to Iraq as part of both Operation New Dawn and Operation Iraqi Freedom. While he is trained to respond in the event of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), when he heard the blasts go off and saw the destruction on Monday, it hit much closer to home than anything he experienced during his time in the battlefield.

"When you're over there, you almost expect it," he told the publication. "I've seen bombs go off. This was by far one of the most horrific scenes."

Madore, Fiola and Welch quickly jumped in to help by removing barriers and getting to victims as fast as possible. They helped put out fires, get other spectators to safety and clear the area while emergency personnel quickly got to work on the severely injured bystanders. 

More with military ties
The three Massachusetts Guardsmen were not the only people with military ties to help out amid the chaos. A photo of Carlos Arredondo jumping in to help the wounded immediately after the attacks has become one of the most iconic images of the day's events. Donning a cowboy hat, the Costa Rica-born spectator helped tend to one of the most seriously injured victims and is being labeled a hero by many. His life has been touched with tragedy before – his son was killed by sniper fire in Iraq nearly 10 years ago. In fact, he was on hand to watch a group of runners who were participating to honor soldiers who had died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, ABC News reports.

"My first reaction was to run toward the people," he told reporters. "There was so much commotion and a lot of people running away. I was one of the first to help people and God protected me. It was horrific."

Earlier this year, the Pentagon created the Distinguished Warfare Medal to recognize the achievements of drone pilots and other soldiers who specialized in high-tech warfare. The decision was met with substantial backlash from the military community, which felt it cheapened the honors received by troops who served in the line of fire. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the medal would be replaced, according to Military Times.

The biggest issue surrounding the Distinguished Warfare Medal was the fact that it outranked other honors that were earned on the battlefield, such as the Bronze Star. The new policy will reclassify the Distinguished Warfare Medal as something that can be added onto another decoration that has already been earned. Hagel's move comes after a lengthy review where he determined that while drone pilots and other soldiers deserve recognition, the process needed to be modified. 

"Utilizing a distinguishing device to recognize impacts on combat operations reserves our existing combat medals for those service members who incur the physical risk and hardship of combat, perform valorous acts, are wounded in combat, or as a result of combat give their last full measure for our nation," Hagel said in a one-page memo. 

While there are no definitive criteria just yet for the newly created distinction, Hagel says that it will emerge within the next 90 days. 

Despite having a rich athletic history, it's not often that West Point grads make their way to the pros, but one former linebacker at Army is well on his way. Josh McNary has reportedly signed with the Indianapolis Colts – more than two years after playing his final game for the Black Knights, reports the Indianapolis Star.

McNary was one of the best players on an Army squad that won the academy's first bowl game in more than 20 years. Today, he stands as the school's all-time sack leader. Despite his accomplishments on the field, it was his devotion to service off of it that has kept him away from the game. He served his mandatory enlistment after graduating in 2011, but now he is cleared to pursue his NFL dreams, reports NBC Sports. 

While it remains to be see whether he makes the team, McNary joins just a small handful of West Point grads who have gone on to the NFL after serving their country. One of the most recent was Caleb Campbell, who played for three teams after graduating from the service in 2008. He eventually left the NFL in 2011, according to Military Times. 

The post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most popular benefits in the military community, and not only because it gives soldiers the chance to further their education. Those benefits can also be transferred to the families of servicemembers, and recent statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suggest that spouses and children are making use of the GI Bill more than ever before, according to Marine Corps Times.

Troops still make up the majority of those taking advantage of the GI Bill – about 500,000 in 2012 – but that portion is getting smaller. In 2011, for instance, about 32,000 spouses used the benefit. In 2012 that number jumped to 54,000. As for children, about 93,500 made use of the GI Bill in 2012 – an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous year. Experts believe the increase is due largely to the fact that many troops are coming back from overseas.

"There's a drawdown occurring right now," Michael Dakduk, the executive director of Student Veterans of America, told the publication. "I think you're going to see a rise in usage from veterans and from spouses and children."

It's no wonder that the post-9/11 GI Bill is so popular. The bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits that cover full tuition and fees for all in-state public institutions.

Tragedy struck the Boston Marathon on Monday when a pair of bombs exploded along the race's final stretch, killing at least three people and injuring scores more. Amid the news of the destruction came hopeful tales of first responders bravely running onto the scene, ordinary civilians leaping into action and runners helping their fellow competitors. These stories offer some brightness on one of the country's darkest days in recent memory.

Footage of the bombing shows just how quickly emergency personnel sprung into action. Almost immediately after the blast, police officers, firefighters and emergency workers began tearing down the barricades to get to those wounded. Spectators who were on hand also helped out, including former NFL star Joe Andruzzi. He said it was most important to keep the focus on the impressive work of the first responders.

"While I appreciate the interest in hearing our perspective on today's horrific events, the spotlight should remain firmly on the countless individuals – first responders, medics, EMTs, runners who crossed the finish line and kept on running straight to give blood, and the countless civilians – who did whatever they could to save lives," the former New England Patriot said. "They were the true heroes."

The Massachusetts National Guard has also played a role in the aftermath, offering their support to state and local officials as they look to increase security.