Although the United States is lending support in France’s military operation in Mali, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the American public should not be concerned about putting more U.S. troops at risk in the region. During a press conference in Portugal, Panetta ruled out the chance that the U.S. will put forces on the ground in the West African nation, reports The Associated Press.

The United States’ current role in the fight against al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is largely in the form of intelligence gathering, but it could eventually develop into one that sees American planes landing in Mali. While Panetta maintains that the ongoing French mission there is important, he stressed that putting troops in harm’s way is something he’s not interested in.

“There is no consideration of putting any American boots on the ground at this time,” he said at a press conference alongside Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Aguiar Branco, according to the AP.

Panetta may be committed to avoiding any entanglements, but the situation in Mali is developing quickly, The New York Times reports. The threat that the militant groups pose is still being interpreted, and some military officials have supported the idea of drone strikes or other significant involvement.

Healthcare costs for the military have skyrocketed over the last decade with the United States embroiled in two wars, and recent figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reveals costs related to disability benefits have also seen a sharp increase. Since 2000, the amount the U.S. has paid to disabled vets has risen from about $14.8 billion to $39.4 billion, USA Today reports.

The reason for the sharp increase over the last 12 years has a lot to do with the repeat deployments, experts say. Starting in 2000, disabled veterans made up about 9 percent of the total population of former service​members, but by 2011 that figure had jumped to about 15 percent, a statistic indicative of the ongoing toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I would point first and foremost to multiple deployments,” Allison Hickey, a retired Air Force brigadier general and the VA undersecretary for benefits, told the publication. “I would call it unprecedented demand.”

The significant number of injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan is certainly a large contributing factor. According to the Armed Forces​ Surveillance Center, between October 2001 and June 2012, more than 891,900 troops were hospitalized.

It may seem unusual to want to return to a war zone after being seriously wounded during combat, but for Army Sgt. Michael Krapels, heading back to Afghanistan was all he had in mind since getting hurt. Now, three years and 20 surgeries later, he is once again serving alongside his fellow soldiers, according to American Forces Press Service.

Krapels’ injury occurred in January 2010, not long after he had arrived in Afghanistan. He was hit by machine gun fire in both his legs that left him with a severed Achilles tendon, among numerous other wounds. Eventually he was flown to ​Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and began the lengthy recovery process. Despite the challenges, he always had his eye on returning to the battlefield.

“There were times when I thought it was going to be impossible,” he told the news source. “I was told I was never going to walk right. I was told I was never going to be able to run or carry weight on my back.”

Krapels is not alone in wanting to return to active duty after becoming seriously injured. In fact, recent technological advances have made it possible for soldiers who have had a leg amputated above the knee to head back to the battlefield.

In the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School last month, President Barack Obama vowed to take steps to make sure such an event never happens again. On Wednesday, he unveiled a long list of gun control initiatives that are designed not only to make communities safer, but to make it easier for first responders to do their jobs.

A multi-pronged approach
The plan was written with four specific goals in mind. For starters, Obama wanted make sure guns were kept out of the hands of potential criminals, remove so-called “weapons of war” from the streets, improve safety around schools and address the mental healthcare system.

Obama addressed all four issues in a number of sweeping proposals that includeboth Congressional initiatives and nearly two dozenexecutive orders he could implement, Reuters reports. The announcement sets up a potentially lengthy battle in Congress, but it’s one Obama says needs to be fought.

“I intend to use whatever weight this office holds to make them a reality,” he told reporters. “If there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try.”

‘Weapons of war’ a priority
High powered weapons, like those used by servicemembers and first responders,have become somewhat easy for civilians topurchase. To address this, Obama proposed making it impossible for people to get magazines that carry more than 10 rounds. He also recommended eliminating armor-piercing bullets and strengthening a ban on semi-automatic weapons.

“I will put everything I’ve got into this and so will Joe [Biden],” Obama said. “But I tell you, the only way we can change is if the American people demand it.”

Better security
A lot of attention will be paid to the measure in the proposal aimed at reducing the number of guns on the streets,but Obama also included language that will help keep communities safe in other ways. In particular, he called for an increase in federal money to hire more police officers. In a similar vein, he suggested setting aside funds to hire at least 1,000 school resources officers to provide added safety.

Perhaps most importantly, the proposals could give police officers the ability to crack down on trafficking of illegal weapons, which would go a long way inkeeping them out of the wrong hands.

Thanks to ambitious bills and programs such as the Joining Forces initiative, the unemployment rate among veterans has started to come down. However, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done, and in an effort to help, retail giant Wal-Mart recently vowed to hire at least 100,000 veterans, reports The Associated Press.

The program officially kicks off on Memorial Day, and will be aimed at hiring service​members who have separated from active duty in the last 12 months. The focus on the most recent group of vets is fitting, especially since those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have an unemployment rate higher than the general population. The latest jobs report found the jobless rate among post-9/11 vets stands at about 10.8 percent.

"Let's be clear – hiring a veteran can be one of the best decisions any of us can make," Bill Simon, president and CEO of Wal-Mart's U.S. business, said in prepared remarks, according to the AP. "Veterans have a record of performance under pressure. They're quick learners, and they're team players. These are leaders with discipline, training, and a passion for service."

Troops who have recently separated from service and are looking for a job may want to check out AFBA's Career Center, which connects employers and recruiters with talented prospective employees.

Earlier this month members of Congress averted the fiscal cliff when they passed a deficit-reduction plan at the last minute. While drastic cuts were avoided, a new debate on Capitol Hill could threaten pay to service​members and other federal employees. In a news conference on Monday, President Barack Obama warned that failing to raise the debt ceiling could have a negative impact on everything from veteran benefits to the ability to honor contracts.

The debate echoes one that gripped the nation during the summer of 2011, and while the United States technically​ reached its debt limit at the end of December, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geitner ​managed to extend the deadline by approximately two months. Still, the government could have trouble making payments by as early as February 15, and Obama said there is an immediate need to act.

"We've got to stop lurching from crisis to crisis to crisis when there's this clear path ahead of us that simply requires some discipline, some responsibility, and some compromise," he told reporters.

The ongoing debate comes as the threat of sequestration looms once again. Large, automatic spending cuts to the military budget will go into action on March 1 unless Congress can reach a deal.

A group of Islamist extremists has posed an ever-growing threat to the West African country of Mali, and as France becomes involved, the United States’ military may also soon play a larger role. Now that France and Britain ​authorized air strikes ​over the weekend, the U.S. has also lent support in the form of drones and logistical aid, USA Today reports.

While the Pentagon has been silent on specifics when it comes to the role the U.S. will play in the future, there has been speculation it will be similar to how it aided NATO in Libya. The U.S. offers the capability of aerial refueling and surveillance, something which could prove useful as France expands its fight against insurgents.

“We stand by our French allies and they can count on U.S. support,” Lt. Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement. “I won’t get into the specific nature of our support. As Secretary [Leon] Panetta has said, we share France’s concern in Mali and we will support the French and international community in the effort to counter the terrorist threat there.”

The decision from France to bomb certain rebel targets is indicative of a shift in how the situation in Mali will be handled. Originally, the plan was to provide support to Mali’s military, but recent developments suggest that may not be a feasible option.

As every branch of the military moves toward energy efficiency, the Army is playing a significant role in the process. The number of non-tactical vehicles and those with low gas mileage have been on the decline over the last three years, which is indicative of the shifting priorities of the Armed Forces, according to Army News Service.

Non-tactical vehicles include everything from trucks, tractors and ambulances, and have declined considerably since 2009. The current total stands at around 74,000, which is down from the peak number of 82,600 three years ago.

There has also been a significant drop in the number of gas guzzlers in the Army. Many of the low mileage cars have been replaced by vehicles that are either more fuel efficient or powered by electric or hybrid technology. In fact, the cost of maintaining the fleet dropped by more than $50 million since 2009, the news source reports.

The impressive strides are not the only improvements being made by the military when it comes to going green. Among the most recent initiatives was a $9.6 million solar power renewable energy project, which began in August at Utah’s Tooele Army Depot.

The United States’ role in Afghanistan has come under much scrutiny lately. With a deadline for withdrawal set for 2014, there has been some disagreement over what the timetable will be and whether there will be any American presence after the date has passed. In an effort to settle some of the most pressing matters, President Barack Obama met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday, reports The Associated Press.

No official announcement
While the two world leaders spent most of the day together, holding a private Oval Office meeting and a working lunch, the White House maintains that Obama will not make any official announcement as to what the next phase of troop withdrawals will be and whether there will be soldiers left in Afghanistan post-2014.

This has grown to be one of the biggest issues facing Obama’s national security team. Much of the military brass has recommended leaving at least 6,000 soldiers in Afghanistan after 2014, but the White House doesn’t seem to be quite on board with the prospect.

Creating a smooth transition
Aside from discussing the future of American forces in Afghanistan, Obama brought up his changing national security team with Karzai, according to the AP. Both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta are expected to officially leave their posts in the near future. Senator John Kerry and former Senator Chuck Hagel have been nominated for the two respective positions.

What progress has been made
The last 12 months have seen considerable changes in Afghanistan. A lengthy Pentagon report released last year touted the decline in enemy initiated attacks and the dent that the American troops made in the capacity of the insurgency.

“After a long and difficult path, we finally are, I believe, at the last chapter of establishing an Afghanistan, a sovereign Afghanistan, that can govern and secure itself for the future,” Panetta said at a recent press conference.

Challenges lie ahead
Although progress has been made, a number of challenges still face the United States and Afghanistan. Chiefly, the Afghan people still have to grapple with ongoing peace talks with the Taliban as well as upcoming elections.

Over the last 10-plus years, there have undoubtedly been countless acts of heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan, but only a select few have been deemed worthy of the Medal of Honor. Last week President Barack Obama announced that another soldier would receive the medal. Former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha will become the fourth living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when he is presented with the medal on February 11, reports Army News Service.

Romesha earned his Medal of Honor during an intense firefight at Combat Outpost Keating on October 3, 2009. The soldiers awoke that morning to find themselves surrounded by an estimated 300 enemy fighters. Under heavy fire, Romesha ​neutralized an enemy machine gun team, and even when a rocket-propelled grenade hit him with shrapnel, he kept fighting. Not only did his efforts help turn back enemy forces, but he also assisted wounded troops and braved enemy fire to recover soldiers who had been killed.

“I thought it was great,” his father, Gary Romesha, told NBC News. “But I’m more thankful he is able to receive it on his own and it’s not given to us after he is dead.”

When he is given the Medal of Honor, Romesha will become the the 10th recipient from the two wars. In 2011, the Medal of Honor was given to​ Dakota Meyer, a Marine who was credited with saving 36 lives during a 2009 ambush in Afghanistan.