As the growing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to dominate headlines, the U.S. Navy recently ordered three warships to stand on alert off the Israeli coast as a precaution. Though just a safety measure, the three ships will be able to respond quickly to an emergency, according to Stars and Stripes.

The order is a change of plans for the USS Iwo Jima, the USS New York and the USS Gunston Hall, which were all set to return to the United States by the end of November. Instead, the 2,300 Marines and sailors on the trio of vessels will stay off the coast of Israel until further notice.

The latest conflict between the two groups was sparked by the assassination of a Hamas leader more than a week ago. So far, 100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least three Israeli civilians are dead.

The move by the Navy is not an unusual one for the Armed Forces to make. Earlier this year, the U.S. sent about 150 troops to the Jordanian capital in response to the growing civil conflict in Syria, according to The Associated Press.

Three weeks after Hurricane Sandy battered New York and New Jersey, a new study reveals many of those hardest hit by the storm approve of the job the first responders did in helping with rescue and cleanup. The Quinnipiac poll found that 86 percent of New York City residents thought the response was either "excellent" or "good."

The results run counter to how local residents felt about utility companies, many of which left those affected by the storm without power for several days or more. The respondents also gave a positive response to both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama for their actions in the storm's aftermath.

"High marks for the first responders and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "But most New Yorkers think the utilities failed their storm-response test."

The results are not surprising given the heroism of many first responders during the Sandy. In some instances, such as the hard hit Breezy Point section of Queens, first responders had to put aside their own recovery to help local residents.

Veterans have access to many benefits after separating from service, but a recent analysis found that many are unaware of exactly what they're entitled to. Data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revealed that 40 percent of post-9/11 vets admitted to having little or no understanding of their benefits, according to Stars and Stripes.

The findings come as the VA is working to spread awareness about the benefits the department offers. Among the most aggressive moves is a new law that goes into effect this week that requires soldiers separating from service to go through a series of detailed benefits sessions. Up until now, participation was voluntary.

"We want to accept them into the VA," Joseph Curtin, the VA's director of outreach, told the publication. "We want to help them."

Some of the most troubling findings relate to insurance benefits. Analysts found that 80 percent have little to no understanding, with 62 percent saying they are not familiar with them at all.

It may behoove active duty soldiers to look into their options as well, including AFBA's Select Term life insurance. The policy offers a number of benefits, including that it stays with soldiers even if they leave their employer.

Along with first lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden has made honoring America's troops a priority, and on Monday she and husband Joe Biden welcomed some of the country's bravest soldiers to show their gratitude. The second family hosted the fourth annual Early Thanksgiving for Wounded Warriors at the Naval Observatory to pay tribute to the servicemembers' sacrifice, according to Yahoo! News.

The soldiers in attendance are all currently receiving treatment at nearby Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and were chosen specifically because they likely would not have been able to make it home to their family for the holiday.

"We're just so incredibly proud of you," Biden told the assembled crowd. "We can never – and I mean this sincerely – never, ever repay you and your families for the sacrifices you've made."

The attendees came from the Army, Marines and Air Force, and they were treated to a pretty impressive meal. Among the foods included in the spread were parmesan mashed potatoes, roasted vegetable macaroni and cheese and a buttermilk brined roast turkey with lemon-parsley gravy.

The Bidens are uniquely qualified to host the nation's wounded warriors, as their son Beau Biden – the Attorney General of Delaware – served a year in Iraq from 2008 to 2009.

Medication for pain management and psychiatric care is essential for many troops transitioning out of service, but a new report from the Government Accountability Office found these individuals might not be getting the coverage they need quickly enough. Between 2009 and 2011, less than half of the 94,000 people who needed medication received care within nine months, according to Stars and Stripes.

The results are alarming for a number of reasons, but perhaps most significant is that troops separating from service are particularly vulnerable to mental health conditions or the misuse of pain medication. Not only that, with thousands of troops expected to separate over the next several years, getting soldiers the treatment they need is especially important.

"Medication management is critical to effective continuity of care for servicemembers transitioning out of the military," according to the report summary. "The Department of Defense's and VA's efforts may not help all servicemembers manage their medication needs during transitions of care."

The report also brings the importance of addressing mental health issues of veterans into focus. According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, from 2000 to 2007, more than 206,000 veterans who entered the VA health system were diagnosed with depression.

Congress and President Barack Obama are running out of time to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," which would result in $500 billion in spending cuts to the military over the next 10 years. The two parties need to reach an agreement on a deficit reduction plan, and after meetings late last week, both sides reported some progress, according to Military Times.

On Friday, Obama met with top leaders in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The discussion likely touched on everything from potential tax increases on the wealthiest Americans to ways to avoid sequestration – the much-feared slashes to the Pentagon budget if a deal is not reached. Obama, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid all expressed optimism about the talks.

"I feel very good about what we were able to talk about in there," Reid told reporters. "We have the cornerstones of being able to work something out. We're both going to have to give up some of the things that we know are a problem."

Avoiding sequestration is important for a number of reasons, according to Politico. Not only could it impact military benefits and capabilities, it could also result in fewer FBI agents, prison guards and National Guardsmen.

Physical fitness plays a crucial role in the abilities of members of the Armed Forces, but new training guidelines are aimed at more than just how fast a soldier can run. Earlier this month, the Army re-established the Master Fitness Trainer Course to help equip certain soldiers with the knowledge to instruct their fellow servicemembers on the best way to stay fit, according to Military Times.

While certainly not unusual to use professional physical trainers to lead fitness regimens, what makes this new initiative different is that they will be focusing on the importance of nutrition and proper amounts of sleep as well. Over the next three years, the Army hopes to train approximately 6,000 "master trainers" to help create more well-rounded, fit, members of the Armed Forces.

"I'm happy to see the course takes a holistic approach to fitness and provides information about nutrition, sleep cycles, rehabilitation and the underlying science of exercise," Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler wrote on his Facebook page.

The change is not the only switch to be made to the military's approach to physical fitness. The Army also reinstated a standard that required soldiers to meet certain standards to enter into professional military education courses, according to Stars and Stripes.

With all the attention surrounding the anticipated cuts to the Pentagon budget, there has been concern about whether the Armed Forces will still be able to function as well as they are now without the same amount of funding. A new report from former military officers and defense experts suggests that military capabilities can stay the same as long as they avoid prolonged ground wars, according to Military Times.

The report, released by the nonpartisan Stimson Center, says that the Armed Forces has to do several things to cut costs while not sacrificing capabilities. For instance, it has to reduce the size of its nuclear arms while also placing an emphasis on researching new advancements rather than building them right away. The group also said the United States must avoid long ground conflicts like those in Iraq and Afghanistan, a burden that falls on the country's lawmakers.

"U.S. leaders should think long and hard before committing U.S. ground forces to contingencies that might lead to lengthy commitments of sizable scale, particularly when the goal is to stabilize failing states or to unseat despotic rulers," the report states.

The report's authors also suggested making some changes to compensation and benefits, something that may not go over too well with many veterans and active duty soldiers. Among the proposed changes are closing some health care clinics, gyms and other community buildings. They also recommend cutting up to 100,000 active duty jobs, according to the publication.

The recommendations from the Stimson Center echo the doing "more with less" strategy that has been espoused by the Obama Administration. Earlier this year, the president outlined some of his plans for a leaner, more streamlined military. The Pentagon plans on cutting about 27,000 soldiers and 20,000 Marines by 2015, according to USA Today.

The smaller size of forces is meant to place a greater emphasis on special operations and intelligence gathering. Additionally, the switch is being made largely in part to help facilitate the pivot from the Middle East to Asia. Above all else, however, the administration has to find a way to cut about $480 billion from the Pentagon budget over the next 10 years.

The Pentagon is not immune to spending cuts, and many lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are looking for ways to reduce the budget of the Department of Defense while not hurting military capabilities. Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn believes he has found a number of areas in the Pentagon budget that can be eliminated. If cut, the United States can save $68 billion over the next 10 years, according to The Associated Press.

Coburn says that many of the services offered by the Pentagon may not be worth the cost. For example, he suggests the military should consider eliminating practices like running its own grocery stores and operating its own schools. He also points out that many of the services are redundant and have no role in the nation's security.

There were six areas in particular Coburn says get the most unnecessary funding. The Pentagon spends approximately $10.7 billion on education each year, along with $6 billion on research not aimed at improving the military. He also says there was $700 million spent on unnecessary or duplicate research on alternative energy. With the federal deficit skyrocketing, Coburn says it's unwise to spend billions of dollars on such programs, according to the AP.

"Our nation's $16 trillion debt is the new red menace, posing perhaps a greater threat to our nation than any military adversary," Coburn's report states.

Some of Coburn's suggestions may be implemented as Congress looks for ways to come to an agreement on making federal budget cuts to avoid the fiscal cliff. However, if lawmakers are unable to come to a compromise, it will enact sequestration – across-the-board budget cuts that could drastically alter the capabilities of the Armed Forces. The move adds $500 billion in cuts on top of the $487 billion already planned. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is confident legislators will meet somewhere in the middle.

"I really do think that, coming out of the election, this is a real opportunity for both Republicans and Democrats to address the fundamental challenge that faces this country with regards to our deficit," Panetta said during a recent press conference.

Along with Coburn's suggestions, other legislators have had some recommendations. Among the most controversial suggestions is a hike on TRICARE fees.

In the two weeks since Hurricane Sandy slammed the East Coast, people from all walks of life have been helping each other out, and that includes the military and first responders. A group of Marines recently helped a Queens volunteer fire department get back on its feet after its station was heavily damaged by the storm, Military.com reports.

The partnership came about as somewhat of an accident. The 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics had spent much of their day clearing away debris before stopping by the local fire department to see if they could eat lunch. They stumbled upon firefighters who had been so busy helping others, they had no time to clean up the damage to their own facilities.

"We originally were just looking for a place indoors to eat," Sgt. Justin Armstrong, a combat engineer with the team from Apple Valley, Minnesota, told the website. "The people offered their building to us to use, so we asked if there was a way we could repay them for their hospitality."

The volunteer department is located in the Breezy Point section of Queens, one of the hardest hit areas. The neighborhood was hit by fires in the immediate aftermath of the storm and 100 homes were destroyed, according to CBS.