The children of parents who are deployed overseas get precious few days to spend with their loved ones when they return stateside, and now a lawmaker from Texas hopes to make it easier for youngsters to do so. Jonathan Stickland, a state representative from Hurst, Texas, recently proposed a bill that would allow military children more unexcused absences, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Known as House Bill 202, the law would allow youngsters with parents in the military 10 excused absences in the days before their parent deploys or if they are home on leave. The legislation is set to go into effect in September if it's passed, and it has already received praise from school administrators.

"This proposal seems to be a compassionate and thoughtful gesture toward the families of our service members," Michael Sorum, deputy superintendent of learning, leadership and student support for the Fort Worth school district, told the newspaper. "Separation from a parent is always stressful for a child. Separation because of military service brings its own set of unique situations which can generate even more stress than usual."

While the law would apply only to the Lone Star State, it does underscore the importance of addressing stress placed on military families by deployment. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, when a parent is deployed to a combat zone, schoolchildren can experience everything from a dip in academic performance to mood changes and physical ailments.

With the United States winding down operations in Afghanistan, many troops are returning home to find they might have some difficulty landing a job. However, a growing number of veterans are choosing to become teachers once they leave the service, and school administrators say they are well-suited for the profession, USA Today reports.

Unemployment remains high
While progress has been made over the last two years, joblessness is still somewhat high among servicemembers, especially those who joined the Armed Forces in the last 11 years. According to findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in November the unemployment rate stood at 10 percent for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. That figure is higher than both the overall veteran rate (6.6 percent) and the nationwide unemployment rate (7.7 percent).

The issue has not been overlooked by the federal government. Along with passing laws such as the Hiring Heroes Act, first lady Michelle Obama's Joining Forces initiative has enlisted the help of thousands of companies who have pledged to employ vets. Now, it looks like heading to the classroom should be a viable option.

Veteran teachers increasing
It's difficult to measure the number of former servicemembers currently employed as educators, but the non-profit organization Teach for America (TFA) says it has seen an increase in the number of vets applying to teach in urban and rural schools. In fact, since 2009, TFA has noticed a fourfold jump in the number of veteran candidates. The program is so popular, TFA recently launched a military recruitment initiative for the first time ever.

"We tap into this sector of folks who are used to working in high-stress environments," Shaun Murphy, a former Army staff sergeant and current employee for FRA, told USA Today. "I think it's a great fit."

Not just teaching
While some troops may be well-suited for the classroom, there are other jobs that have proven to be ideal for former service members as well. Last year, President Barack Obama called for a conservation program that was aimed at putting veterans to work rebuilding roads, trails and levees, which would help put skills they learned in the military to good use, according to The Associated Press.

Military families often face a great deal of non-medical challenges during deployment. It can be difficult for them to cope with the life changes associated with having a loved one serving overseas, but a new program offered by the Department of Defense (DOD) seeks to provide the military community with the tools to overcome those obstacles, according to the American Forces Press Service.

The initiative, known as the Military and Family Life Counseling program, offers treatment on a no-cost and short-term basis and is available to active duty, National Guard and reserve members and their families. Jena M. Moore, who helps run the program, says it can offer families considerable benefits.

"These are daily issues that come to our lives like dealing with work or dealing with family," she told the news source. "And, specifically for the military community, it's those normal reactions that service members and family members can have to the stressful attributes that can come with being a military family member."

The use of such counseling services has increased over the last several years. Recent statistics show that around 35 percent of active duty servicemembers take advantage of them, which is up from just 10 percent in 2003.

Congress narrowly averted the fiscal cliff – the series of deep spending cuts and tax hikes – by passing the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 on New Year's Day. While the legislation avoids sequestration, which would have caused significant slashes to the Pentagon budget, lawmakers will once again have to pick up the debate because the cuts are set to take place on March 1.

The across-the-board defense spending cuts were set to take effect on January 2, and while they have been staved off for now, the new deadline does pose some issues. Most significantly, if sequestration is enacted, the Department of Defense would have to cut as much as $63 billion from its 2013 budget but have much less time to do so.

"Every day of uncertainty over further reductions limits our ability to fight the war in Afghanistan, keep Americans free from harm at home, and prevent potential conflict abroad," Rep. Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a New Year's Day press release. "I urge both the president and Congress to act worthy of the military we have inherited, and resolve the deep threat of sequestration immediately."

Other lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, were disappointed that a permanent solution to sequestration was not created, but are confident that ongoing negotiations will solve the crisis.

The college bowl season kicked off in earnest last week, and on Saturday both Navy and Air Force were in action. While the two service academies, who are no strangers to post-season bowl games, put together good seasons, neither could finish theirs off with a victory.

Air Force falls
After a 6-6 regular season, the Falcons were invited to participate in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against an upstart Rice Owls team from Conference USA. Despite some early back-and-forth action, Rice eventually pulled away to bring home the title with a 33-14 victory.

Rice was paced by freshman quarterback Driphus Jackson, who was thrust into the spotlight after the Owls' starting quarterback went down with an injury. He was up to the challenge, however, finishing the game with 264 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite the loss, Air Force was not without its own standout performers. Senior running back Wes Cobb ran for 39 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore quarterback Kale Pearson ran for one of his own.

"We really struggled. We had a good second quarter," Air Force coach Troy Calhoun told The Associated Press. "But there's no way you win this game playing well in one quarter."

Air Force has been among the most consistent football teams in the country over the last several years. Their appearance in 2012 marked the sixth straight season the Falcons earned a bowl berth, a streak that has included victories in 2009 and 2010.

Navy stumbles in Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
The Midshipmen may have captured the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy when they beat Army, but they were not quite as lucky against Arizona State. The Sun Devils ran all over Navy and came away with a statement 62-28 victory.

Arizona State scored early and often to jump out to a quick 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. At halftime, the final result was never much in question, with the Sun Devils winning 34-7. Leading the charge was wide receiver Rashad Ross, who finished with 139 receiving yards and three touchdown catches.

Unfortunately, there were few highlights for Navy, mainly the stunning 95-yard kickoff return by Gee Gee Greene in the second half. The Midshipmen do have reason to be optimistic, however, as standout freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds will be returning next year.

As the military looks forward to 2013, there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding issues likes funding and benefits, but one of the biggest issues in front of the Armed Forces is the continued involvement in Afghanistan. The past year was full of progress and setbacks, but as the troops enter 2013, it might be a good idea to look back at the last 12 months.

Violence down
Of all the positive news out of Afghanistan this year, some of the most encouraging is that of U.S. troop deaths, overall NATO fatalities and Afghan civilian deaths all decreased during 2012. In 2011, 404 U.S. soldiers were killed in the country, but that number shrank to 295 in 2012, according to The Associated Press. Additionally, the number of Afghan troops taking control of security missions swelled considerably.

"Our forces are out there in the battlefields and combat areas more than at any other time in the past," Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told the AP.

Positive news comes with steps back
While it is certainly encouraging to see a dwindling number of U.S. troops being killed in action, the number of insider attacks on American forces was a bit troubling. There were 45 such attacks in 2012, compared to just 21 in 2011. Additionally, 61 soldiers were killed in insider incidents, which have caused some friction between American and Afghan forces and lead to some concerns about the success of the American mission there.

Future of withdrawal plans
American troops are still expected to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, but that timeline could see some changes in the next two years. In November, the Senate voted overwhelmingly across party lines to support an accelerated withdrawal timetable for the 66,000 soldiers still in the country. However, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has maintained that the United States may need to leave a small group of soldiers there past the 2014 deadline.

"Although we clearly have had an impact on [al-Qaeda's] presence in Afghanistan, the fact is that they continue to show up," Panetta said during a recent press conference.

Melissa Stockwell was the first female soldier in Iraq to lose a limb when she was injured by a roadside bomb more than eight years ago. Ever since, she has served as an inspiration to other amputees and works tirelessly to help others with similar disabilities stay active, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Stockwell was injured in 2004, and after having to re-learn how to walk she quickly turned her attention toward athletics. She learned how to ski on one leg, picked up swimming, and in 2008 she became the first Iraq War veteran to join the U.S. Paralympic team. She has run marathons and completed 100-mile bike rides, and just recently she signed up for the challenging Iron Man Triathalon.

"Melissa understands what her role is on the planet," her coach, Stacee Seay told the Tribune. "Her injury does not define her, but it certainly, certainly makes her who she is today. She has taken what has happened to her and turned everything about it into a positive."

Stockwell's success may serve as inspiration to some veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom have suffered similar injuries. As of 2011, there were 1,286 vets from both wars who had at least one limb amputated, according to Department of Veterans Affairs statistics.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill has helped many servicemembers and their families earn a college degree, and in 2013 veterans will see an increase to this helpful benefit. The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced payment for tuition and fees will increase by about 6.2 percent in the coming year, according to Military Times. This is good news – here's what this increase will mean for veterans.

What's the fine print?
The increase in funding will go into effect on August 1, so it will mostly come into play during the 2013-2014 academic year. The increase is almost double the 3.3 percent boost in benefits offered during the last academic year, and servicemembers can get up to $19,198.31 to put toward the tuition and fees of private and foreign schools. The bill covers the total cost for public, in-state institutions.

The boost occurs every year, and is tied to the increase in the average cost of college tuition. Beneficiaries will also see an increase in the amount they can put toward vocational flight training school and corresponding courses.

Who is using it?
Soldiers who have joined the Armed Forces in the last decade are putting the Post-9/11 GI Bill to good use. In fact, a recent survey from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that 29 percent of recent vets have already put the bill to good use, while about 50 percent more said they planned on using it to go to school in the future. Furthermore, 39 percent of those who used the bill attended four-year public universities, with about 20 percent attending private colleges. Approximately 24 percent attended community colleges.

What else has been done to improve the bill?
One of the biggest concerns government officials have about the Post-9/11 GI Bill is that for-profit colleges might try and recruit veterans only because of the attractive benefits the bill offers. This unscrupulous practice had become rampant, but the Senate recently passed a bill that would make it illegal.

Known as the Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act, the ruling makes it easy for veterans to find financial and education information all in one place, which then makes it more difficult for schools to take advantage of servicemembers who may not be that well-informed about the process, according to Army Times.

Many children who dream of enlisting in the military eventually get the chance to do so, but 10-year-old Khalil Quarles likely will not. The youngster, who is being treated for cancer, has always wanted to meet a soldier, and for Christmas he got his wish, according to the Albany Herald.

The plan was hatched by Maj. Norland James, a soldier serving in Kuwait, who had heard of Quarles' love for the military. He quickly enlisted the help of fellow troops at Maryland's Fort Meade, where people volunteered by gathering presents and several military vehicles in order to surprise Quarles for Christmas.

Then, on December 19, James talked to Quarles via Skype before shocking him with a front yard full of Army Reserve soldiers and a Humvee parked in his driveway.

"I could see in his eyes this was an, 'I can't believe this is happening' kind of moment," James told the Army's official website. "It felt great, knowing that I was helping fulfill this moment for him."

After a ceremony that included singing the National Anthem and opening other Christmas presents, Quarles was made an honorary member of the U.S. Army.

The talks surrounding the fiscal cliff have attracted a lot of attention in the military community, and with good reason. But as the calendar moves into 2013, there are many other issues facing servicemembers and veterans other than the Pentagon budget, from veteran homelessness and unemployment to mental health challenges.

Veteran homelessness
The Obama administration has made addressing veteran homelessness one of its priorities. In fact, administration officials have vowed to end homelessness among vets by as soon as 2015. While it's certainly a lofty goal, considerable progress has been made. But, as the military community enters 2013, there is still work to be done, especially among the most recent veterans, according to recent government data.

Over the last two years, the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes has risen substantially. In fact, by the end of September this year, the number of vets close to losing their home, staying in temporary housing or living on the streets stood at more than 26,500. Just two years earlier, the figure was at 10,500, according to USA Today.

"They're younger, much more savvy and they don't necessarily like to ask for help," Anne Murphy, a Salvation Army program director in Los Angeles, told the publication. "But there are a lot of them out there."

There's reason to be hopeful, however. In 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a new program that provides community nonprofits with the funding to help out homeless veterans, USA Today notes.

Unemployment among veterans
Finding a job is one of the greatest challenges for soldiers who separate from service, but there have been significant strides in helping make the process a bit easier. Most notably, the 2011 VOW to Hire Heroes Act provides more education and training opportunities to help troops transition into civilian life. It also offers tax cuts to employers who hire veterans.

The programs seem to have paid off. The unemployment rate among the veteran population sat at around 6.6 percent in November. Although it was a slight uptick from the month before, it is lower than the national rate. Though the jobless rate for post-9/11 vets stood a bit higher at 10 percent, compared to 2011 it is down considerably.

Of course, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act is not the only resource available to unemployed soldiers. They may also want to head to the AFBA Career Center, which works to connect employers and veteran job seekers.

Mental health
Of all the challenges facing soldiers, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two of the most urgent. Some experts estimate that as many as 20 percent of the vets of Iraq and Afghanistan have one or both conditions. Though there is still much to learn about PTSD and TBI, the military community made substantial strides during 2012 in addressing the issue. These paint an encouraging picture for 2013.

Among the most proactive steps was the creation of a treatment center at Bethesda, Maryland's National Intrepid Center of Excellence dedicated specifically to TBI and PTSD. The innovative new hospital is analyzing the effectiveness of a wide variety of treatment options – from music to pet therapy. Scientists are also analyzing MRI scans of the brain to measure how TBI and PTSD manifest themselves, according to American Forces Press Service.

As the military enters a new year, there are undoubtedly serious challenges ahead. However, the pieces are in place and with organizations such as Joining Forces, an initiative led by first lady Michelle Obama, there is certainly the will to address them.