It's been more than a year since the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and now one of the Navy SEALS involved in the mission is causing a bit of a stir. The former servicemember has penned a book detailing the events surrounding the successful raid and the Pentagon believes it could contain classified information, The Associated Press reports.
The issue surrounding the inclusion of potentially-secretive information is largely tied to concerns about whether they could put military personnel at risk overseas. Pentagon press secretary George Little says there has been no decision made on whether to pursue criminal charges against the author, but he did hint that the allegations are very serious.
"When you have special operations units that perform these missions, there are tactics, techniques, and procedures, not to mention human life, that are in play," Little told the AP.
The book, No Easy Day, was written by former SEAL Matt Bissonnette under the pen name Mark Owen, and was released September 4. The controversy surrounding its release, and its subject matter, helped it debut at number one on Amazon.com, according to NPR.
Even to some of the most seasoned distance runners, what Spc. Mark Lopez is trying to accomplish is seemingly impossible. The Maryland native is attempting to run 185 miles through the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park to raise money for injured soldiers, the Frederick News Post reports.
The 27-year-old is running in support of 185 Heroes, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds for America's service members, and has made the 185-mile journey an annual event. In this case, the money raised goes to an organization called Operation Second Chance, which is targeted toward serving injured, wounded or ill veterans.
The impressive distance required a substantial amount of planning and training. Lopez hopes to complete the journey at a 10-minute mile pace and said he expects to take a one hour break every nine miles. Though it's certainly a challenge, Lopez says it's nothing compared to the obstacles wounded warriors face.
"To be honest, that's the only thing that's been keeping me going," Lopez told the newspaper. "I had to remind myself why I'm doing this."
Lopez is not the only one making a lengthy journey to support the troops this summer. Around 60 veterans have been making a cross country trip by bicycle – known as the Long Road Home – meant to raise money for Operation First Response.
The two-year anniversary of the end of U.S. involvement in Iraq passed over the weekend, and President Barack Obama marked the occasion by vowing to continue his support of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The commander-in-chief was on hand at Fort Bliss in Texas to talk about upcoming plans aimed at helping soldiers transition after returning home, according to The Associated Press.
The trip to Fort Bliss came two years after he made a similar appearance to announce the end of combat in Iraq, but this time around he discussed the challenges that troops face at home, mainly employment and healthcare. He also spoke privately with a group of military families who lost loved ones overseas.
"After fighting for America you shouldn’t have to fight for a job in America," Obama told the crowd. "To you and all you serve, we need to be there for you just like you were there for us."
The visit also comes just after Obama signed an executive order aimed at addressing the mental health of veterans and their family members. Among other things, the order allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to staff more counselors.
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have caused the majority of injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thanks to a new piece of equipment, researchers may be better able to understand the impact of the blasts. About 7,000 soldiers in Afghanistan have been outfitted with gauges that can measure the effect blast waves have on the bodies of troops, The Associated Press reports.
The most important goal is perhaps to gain some insight into traumatic brain injuries, which have impacted more than 1,700 troops in the first part of this year alone. By analyzing everything from the speed, angle, direction and duration of the blast waves, neurologists may be better able to understand what causes the injuries.
"What in the explosive blast ultimately causes the injury? That’s what we really, really want to know," Army Col. Geoffrey Ling, a scientist at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), told the AP.
So far, the project has collected data on 24 different explosions and is indicative of a growing emphasis on studying and understanding traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers. Most recently, the military teamed up with the charity Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to build a clinic dedicated to brain injuries.
As Hurricane Isaac battered the Gulf Coast over the last several days, the harsh winds and driving rain left many families stranded amid rising waters. However, the National Guard has been hard at work rescuing area residents from their homes.
The response was especially strong in Mississippi, where more than 1,500 Guardsmen leaped into action as soon as the storm made landfall. In hard-hit Hancock County, the Guard rescued at least 50 people. Along with performing search and rescue operations, the National Guard has also been integral in assisting the American Red Cross in distributing supplies among affected the citizens.
"Many of the shelters began running out of food early this morning," Air Force National Guard Technical Sgt. Domingo Rodriguez said on Thursday. "The American Red Cross called the National Guard for help in transporting food from storage areas out to where they needed most in the shelters."
Though they have been hard at work, first responders are not out of the woods just yet. As the storm slowly hovers over the region, growing fears of dams being broken have led to government officials in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, to call for an evacuation, according to The Associated Press.
The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program is aimed at lowering the unemployment rate among former soldiers by offering them targeted training for in-demand fields. Though there are about 200 occupations to choose from in the program, many participants have elected computer support training, reports Military Times.
The program, known as VRAP, provides a year's worth of training under the Montgomery GI Bill. About 14 percent of participants have chosen to take computer support classes, and analysts say it could be a smart move given that such technicians could be responsible for about 110,000 jobs over the next 10 years, according to Department of Labor estimates.
Of course, computer support isn't the only career path veterans are choosing. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors accounted for about 6 percent of participating vets, according to the publication. Business operations, nursing and law are all popular choices as well.
Along with initiatives from Joining Forces and legislation such as the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, VRAP has helped put a dent in unemployment in vets. Between January and June 2012, vets enjoyed the lowest unemployment rate over a six month period since 2008.
Over the last several decades, women have made considerable strides in the Armed Forces, and earlier this week one officer helped break new ground. In a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Karen E. Dyson became the first female financial officer to reach the rank of major general.
Dyson has strong ties to the military. Along with her own service, her husband is retired Air Force Col. Jim Chamberlain, who was on hand to pin on her second star. Also in attendance at her promotion ceremony was Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal, who spoke about the historic implications of Dyson's promotion.
"Women in the Armed Forces are true pioneers," said Westphal. "They travel through uncharted territory and confront change. This is why this ceremony is so important. It is changing the [Army] culture and structure of our Force and making us better for it."
Dyson is just the latest woman who has paved new ground for women in the military. Earlier this summer, Brig. Gen. Tammy S. Smith became the first openly gay officer of flag rank in the Armed Forces, according to The New York Times.
Military families may not agree on everything, but when it comes to the challenges of the deployment of a loved one, they are very much on the same page. ABC News recently spoke to military families from all walks of life and they all had one message: deployment and life during war is rough.
There are certainly concerns throughout the military community about the looming threat of sequestration – the $500 billion across-the-board cuts – but funding is irrelevant when it comes to being away from loved ones for too long. Such is the case for Rhonda Kent, a military wife herself whose husband retired from the service.
"War is always tough on the family, and it doesn't matter, deployment, whether they're at war or they're in training," Kent told ABC. "It's still going to be tough. It's the separation that's tough. The next thing that's tough is when they come back."
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have had a significant impact on military families across the country, and statistics from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors show just how many people have been affected. Around 65,680 civilians have been impacted by the loss of a family member in the two wars.
Scaling Mount Kilimanjaro is an impressive feat for anyone, but for Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon, it was an even greater accomplishment. The 27-year-old Marine recently reached the summit of Africa's tallest mountain, less than two years after he lost both his legs due to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast during deployment, Military Times reports.
Zambon worked as an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and he was certainly familiar with the danger that comes along with the job. After surviving several explosions relatively unscathed, he had both his legs amputated above the knee after stepping on an IED in 2011.
The journey back to a healthy, active lifestyle was a long one, and his training for the climb included intense sessions of yoga, swimming and hiking. However, just 18 months after the explosion, Zambon made it to the top of Kilimanjaro at a similar pace to someone with both their legs. He brought the dog tags of two fallen soldiers with him to pay tribute their service.
"It was such a great thing to be able to repay in a small way and to remember them for their sacrifice at the top of that mountain," Zambon told the publication.
Zambon made the climb as part of The Heroes Project, which reaches out to injured vets, using climbs and other other activities to raise awareness and improve the care of wounded soldiers.
There are several areas of the military that are exempt from sequestration. Basic pay, allowance for housing and veterans healthcare will not be affected by the across-the-board cuts, should they occur. However, for active duty troops TRICARE is not immune to the cuts and analysts say the Department of Defense (DoD) would have to reallocate $3 billion to maintain health benefits, reports Military Times.
TRICARE is not exempt because it falls under the umbrella of the Pentagon's operations and maintenance programs, which were not excluded from language in the Budget Control Act of 2011. The threat of TRICARE cuts comes as Congress has rejected several proposals aimed at avoiding them, such as raising the enrollment fees for retirees.
A fee increase for retirees may be the only option as healthcare spending is one of the biggest expenses faced by the military. Some experts estimate that military health spending represents about 9.5 percent of the defense budget, or about $52.5 billion in 2012, according to Forbes. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs spends about $51 billion for healthcare.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the future of military healthcare, it may behoove military families to look into other options such as the TRICARE Supplement Plan from AFBA, which lowers out-of-pocket expenses.