A former Hollywood star is using her Nashville farm to offer hope and healing to wounded warriors and their families.   

Jennifer O'Neill is an actress best known for the film "Summer of '42" and her role as a CoverGirl makeup model. She is also the daughter of a World War II vet, which sparked her desire to use her farm, Hillenglade, to reach out to members of the armed forces.

According to the nonprofit's website, Hope and Healing at Hillenglade uses horses and the scenic beauty of the country to provide a place for servicemembers and their families to heal, not only from physical injuries, but from invisible injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder, difficulties reintegrating into civilian life and familial and marital stress.

 "Anyone in the service – whether they have PTSD or not – is welcome," O'Neill told Fox News. "The farm is about restoration, healing and giving hope."

O'Neill hosts events at Hillenglade on holidays that pertain to military life, such as Flag Day and Independence Day. Hundreds of military members, past and present, and their families are treated to live music, food, activities and, of course, horses.

"What really works well for PTSD is love – and whether that's from a person or an animal, it doesn't matter," Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor at New York University's Langone Medical Center, told Fox News. "Horses are absolutely therapeutic. I believe in this."

Hillenglade's next event is planned for June 13, the weekend of Flag Day, and is free to active military members, veterans and their families who register prior to the cut-off of 300 people. According to the nonprofit's website, the day will include pony and horse rides, sports, food, horse exhibitions and paintings, and more. 

Communication is key for families trying to successfully handle deployment. Failing to talk to one another can make separation stressful and overwhelming, especially for the spouses of military servicemembers.

It is important to work together as parents through frequent conversations. Part of the challenge in ensuring that this happens is planning out times to talk. This can require flexibility for those deployed and their families at home. The other task is finding a means of communication that works for everyone. Here are five effective ways to talk with your loved one regularly to feel close to each other and make deployment less stressful. 

1. Letters
Communicating through writing is often thought of as a more traditional form of keeping in contact with someone. However, there is sentimental value in sitting down with a pen and paper and sharing your thoughts and stories. Have the kids write a letter with you and include a drawing that your spouse can hang up while away from home.

Military.com noted that numbering each letter so your spouse knows which ones to read first will prevent any problems from occurring if the mail arrives at a slower pace than you write, as this is one of the reasons why people tend to choose other forms of communication during deployment.

2. Skype or FaceTime
If your spouse has access to a laptop or smartphone with Wi-Fi, FaceTime and Skype are effective ways to communicate regularly. They are completely free and combine the personal touch of a phone call with face-to-face interaction. Plan a time when all of the kids can gather around the computer and say hello to their mom or dad. Even a few minutes a day can drastically improve how up to date you are with each other's lives.  

3. Phone
There's nothing more personal than hearing your loved one's voice after being away from each other for a long time. Phone calls are the perfect form of communication for special occasions, such as birthdays or holidays. Children will also get very excited at the idea of hearing their parent's voice and catching him or her up on their lives in real time.

However, as long-distance phone calls can be very expensive, it may be best to save them just for these occasions. It is also a good idea to check with your phone company for military discounts, as many major businesses offer these to make communication less expensive for military families.

4. Email
Email is one of the fastest ways to communicate with your loved one during active duty. You and your children can quickly share experiences that he or she missed. They can also attach photographs and videos to give him or her visuals. Just make sure that your spouse has service wherever he or she is deployed. Many email servers show when the message has been opened and read so you can confirm that your spouse received your note.

5. Care packages
Parents magazine recommended care packages as another great way to keep in touch with loved ones on special occasions. On your spouse's birthday, for example, it can be nice to send a care package filled with his or her favorite snacks and items that he or she may miss while away, such as home-baked cookies.

Including pictures of the family can serve as a pleasant surprise for your spouse who may not have seen the children in a while. Be sure to send the package with plenty of time to arrive if you are sending it for a special date to make sure it gets there in time.

Despite the success of recent box-office hits like "Lone Survivor" and "American Sniper," many former and current members of the armed forces find that Hollywood films often rely on stereotypes and dramatic action that give a very limited picture of military life. The GI Film Festival seeks to combat that problem by featuring a large collection of films that testify to the diverse experiences of the American soldier. 

Film festival for soldiers
The 9th annual GI Film Festival began on Monday, May 18, in the D.C. Metro Area. The week-long festival features film viewings, panels and various other events for attendees, according to the GIFF website. While the festival officially began on Monday and will feature events throughout the week, most of the action is scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The GIFF is the first festival in the nation to exclusively use film to share the military experience. With films of varying lengths examining a medley of topics both in and out of war, the GIFF provides a more complete picture of the experiences of servicemembers than what may be seen in more traditional Hollywood-style films. The hope is not only to provide films that past and current military members can relate to, but to better educate the public. 

 "… in a nation where less and less people actually serve in the military, most people don't know what it means to serve," GIFF co-founder Laura Law-Millett told the Washington Post. "By educating the public, it's going to help veterans who are transitioning and returning home and looking for employment. Maybe the person interviewing them or hiring them will have a better understanding of what that veteran has been through. It's really just to bridge that divide between people who have served and people who haven't served." 

A full agenda
This year's festival will include more than 60 films, according to Military Times, and will address everything from historical battles to life after service. Attendees will be able to view projects like "The Haircut," a short film on one of the first women to attend West Point, "Craft in America," a documentary that looks at the healing role of crafts in the military, and the North American premiere of "Kajaki," a film that portrays the true story of the bravery of young British soldiers on Kajaki Dam.   

It can be difficult for a military spouse to find work. Whether it is the regular moves, single-parent duties or an attempt to go back to school, spouses often need flexible hours if they are looking to add extra income, something that can be difficult to find in this economy. Luckily, Uber wants to help. 

What it is
Uber is a technology company that matches drivers with people who are seeking rides. Unlike a traditional taxi service, drivers can use their own vehicles and choose their own hours. This makes the company a desirable option for people looking for extra income who are unable to work 9 to 5. 

After announcing its UberMILITARY program, which aimed to help vets and inactive military members earn extra income, in September 2014, Uber is now partnering with military families through the UberMILITARY Families Coalition. The new campaign seeks to help people in this demographic take advantage of the flexible hours offered by the company to earn additional income for their families. 

According to the Uber blog, the company is partnering with Hiring Our Heroes, Blue Star Families, National Military Family Association and American Military Partner Association in the effort to assist military families in the U.S.

"Military spouses face significant challenges with employment due to their service members' frequent moves, and the UberMILITARY program is a unique and innovative way to help address these challenges," said American Military Partner Association President Ashley Broadway-Mack in the AMPA blog. "AMPA is proud to partner with Uber for this program, helping make a difference in the lives of our modern military families who sacrifice so much for our nation."

How it can help
In addition to employment, the Families Coalition will provide rides for military spouses and family members to career fairs and other events, establish alliances with local chapters of the partner organizations and collaborate with the partners to discover new ways to support and empower these families across the country. 

Since initiating the UberMILITARY program eight months ago, Uber reported that drivers in the initiative have already taken home over $35 million and now earn over $1 million a week collectively. 

Military spouses can easily sign up on Uber's website and will be contacted by a company representative.   

Like many soldiers, Desert Storm veteran Phil Ruddock came home from deployment diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. According to his testimonial, the symptoms became so severe that he could no longer work and would just sit at home, angry at the world. But his life changed when a friend brought him a scared, abused pitbull named Mia, and a partnership began.

As Ruddock trained Mia and gained her trust, she in turn would wake him up from nightmares and watch his back when he started to venture off his property again. Through this relationship, Ruddock realized that other vets dealing with PTSD could also benefit from incorporating service dogs into life after service. 

Inspiration from experience
According to Small Business Revolution, Ruddock first started working with existing organizations that provide service animals. But the dogs were often expensive, sometimes carrying a price tag of up to $25,000. It did not make sense to Ruddock that soldiers returning from war with little money should have to pay such an extravagant sum for help. That is where the idea for Brothers and Sisters in Arms Dog Training began.

The nonprofit, founded by Ruddock, is based in Louisiana and aims to improve the life of military veterans, active duty soldiers and any special-needs dependents by providing them with trained service dogs, according to the Brothers and Sisters in Arms website. 

Rather than breed dogs specifically for training, the organization uses calm, teachable shelter dogs that otherwise might be put down. It is a beautiful partnership between a person and a dog who are both looking for healing, and allows for the dogs to be given at no cost to the recipient, reported Small Business Revolution. 

Unlike the majority of service animal organizations, Brothers and Sisters in Arms actively involves the veterans in the training of their animals. By letting the owners train the dog, a stronger bond is created and the owner comes away with a sense of accomplishment that he or she may not have felt since coming back from active service. 

Classes typically run eight weeks and involve the typical training for service dogs, as well as additional commands specifically aimed at helping combat veterans, reported Time magazine. These extra commands include teaching the dog to "block," or create space between their owner and others, and to "cover," or stand at their owner's side or back facing away as a kind of lookout. All classes are one-on-one and taught by veterans, creating a safe environment for the soldier. 

Easing the transition
"When a soldier is deployed or on base, they feel secure because they have all the other soldiers there watching their back. But when they are out of the military, when their spouse goes to work, their kids go to school and they're left alone, they have nobody watching their back," Ruddock told Time. "It makes them very anxious, paranoid. A dog turns out to be their battle buddy and watches their back. It never leaves them, it never judges them, it never asks questions that they don't want to answer. It gives them unconditional love."

Through his work, Ruddock hopes to make a difference in the lives of military families, one soldier and dog at a time. 

You served your country, and now it is time to come home to a different type of duty: your family. Dynamics with your loved ones can be difficult to navigate when returning from deployment. Consider one of these retreats created specifically for military families to help ease the adjustment period. 

Operation Purple Family Retreats
The retreats put on by Operation Purple allow families to learn new communication skills, enjoy the outdoors together and bond with others in similar situations. According to the website, families can take part in a variety of fun activities, from canoeing to birdhouse building, while creating new memories together. The National Military Family Association provides each family with a $200 stipend to help with travel costs. For more information or to apply, visit the NMFA website.

Operation Purple Healing Adventures
These retreats are specifically geared to help families to rediscover fun and intimacy after a member is injured in the line of duty. Through outdoor adventures and specially developed communication strategies, these three-day retreats aim to guide your family after a parent is injured. The healing adventures are free to military families and include food and lodging. Applications can be submitted on the National Military Family Association website. 

Lone Survivor Foundation Retreats
The Lone Survivor Foundation organizes retreats that focus on supporting veterans and service members who struggle with invisible injuries. These can include battles with post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and military sexual trauma, among others, that have devastating effects on both the individual and family.The five-day retreats focus on coping skills, education and reducing the stress symptoms. All military backgrounds and branches are welcome, but there is an emphasis on service members and veterans of Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Learn more and fill out the application form at the Lone Survivor Foundation website.

Active Heroes Military Family Retreat Center
If you and your family enjoy camping, consider taking advantage of the Active Heroes Family Retreat Center. Located in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, the 144-acre retreat area is open to the public, as well as military families, allowing current and former servicemen to begin integrating into the public with the safety of military-only "Healing Areas" to retreat to for solitude. Starting in the summer of 2015, the retreat center will be free to military families and outings include a large meal, entertainment and seminars. 

Project Sanctuary
Retreats put on by Project Sanctuary take advantage of the beauty of the Colorado wilderness to help you and your family connect and bond over six days and five nights. Free to military families, the retreats use recreational therapy methods to help bring down walls through fun activities, according to the group's website. Attendees also have access to professional counseling and family support services, such as classes devoted to improving your finances and marriage. Start the application process by visiting the Project Sanctuary website and filling out the initial application. 

The U.S. recently sent $25 million worth of weapons and ammunition to Beirut, Lebanon, reported The Associated Press. The supplies are intended to assist Lebanon's armed forces as they continue their fight against Islamic extremists. 

According to the source, the delivery included over 70 M198 howitzers, various types of artillery and over 26 rounds of ammunition. The shipment helped make Lebanon the fifth-largest recipient of military assistance from the U.S. Over the past eight years, the nation has received over $ billion worth of American weapons, with $100 million of supplies donated last year alone. Lebanon is also receiving help from France and Saudi Arabia, explained the source. Shipments from these countries are expected to arrive in early April.

Islamic extremist groups have been targeting Lebanese troops over the past few months, largely due to the country's proximity to Syria. The jihadist organizations have been launching attacks over the Syrian border, even capturing Lebanese soldiers. The Associated Press noted that Lebanon's army is indicative of the country's diversity and includes soldiers that identify as Christian, Druze, Sunni and Shiite. While the force is often praised as a unifying force, it has been struggling to maintain domestic peace in the face of political unrest. 

In a statement issued by the Embassy of the United States, Ambassador David Hale explained that providing support to Lebanese troops is a crucial component in the ongoing international war against terror. 

"We are fighting the same enemy, so our support for you has been swift and continuous. I am confident that, with the right equipment, Lebanon's soldiers can defend Lebanon successfully. And the equipment we are providing is exactly what the army leadership has asked for, and exactly what the army needs," he said. 

When dealing with emotional footage from combat, one should use extreme sensitivity. However, film directors at Paramount Pictures failed to practice that when developing a visual effects scene for the upcoming film "Project Almanac," reported Military Times. While the movie is about time travel and has no connection to war, a devastating scene from a 1994 B-52 plane crash at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington was used.

Scene under scrutiny
In the context of the film, the scene does not have much relevance. The news source explained that the footage is used in a part of the movie that shows the characters watching TV reports of a plane crash. This part of the film was used in a trailer promoting the movie, and families of the victims recognized what they saw. Four Air Force officers, including Col. Robert Wolff and Lt. Col. Mark McGeehan, were killed in the plane crash, and two of their families spoke out about the scene. Michael Bay, the film's producer, got word of the outrage and issued a sincere apology to the families involved.

"I let film directors make their movies at Platinum Dunes [Bay's production company] and give them tremendous responsibilities," Bay said in a statement. "Well, unfortunately a very bad choice was made to use a real crash instead of creating a VFX [visual effects] shot, without realizing the impact it could have on the families."

Understanding boundaries
The news source reported that the families are grateful for Bay's understanding and timely removal of the scene. However, this provokes a necessary question for filmmakers: Where do ethics come into play when creating a film? While it may be difficult to accurately depict an action-packed scene with interesting visual effects, using actual footage could show severe insensitivity to families of those involved. Spending the extra time to create a theatrical scene – rather than using real images – could spare families emotional distress.

The news source reported that the production company insisted the footage was from a different plane crash, but that it would be edited regardless, and the film will still be debuted at the end of the month. The scene's removal was deeply appreciated by the families, who have since made their statements.

"Mr. Bay, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your apology and your quick response to this," Whitney Wolff Thompson, a daughter of one of the crash victims, said in an email that Military Times reported on. "I appreciate your willingness to admit that this was indeed a real plane crash, and that a mistake was made in choosing to use it."

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recently announced that big revisions will occur concerning military benefits and pay.

A report by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission is set to be released Feb. 1, and is expected to fuel the debate surrounding speculated cuts. The committee behind the report was created in 2013 by Congress and charged with the responsibility of examining what changes could be made to military retirement, health care, benefits and overall pay, reported Military.com. The group has been researching ways to adjust compensation for the past two years, and the results are expected to be somewhat controversial. 

Military Times noted that the report, which will be made public, is expected to contain recommendations to revise the military's long-standing 20-year cliff-vesting retirement pension. Notably, Hagel told sailors in San Diego that people with existing military contracts would most likely be "grandfathered in" to the system, so the updated standard would begin with new recruits. 

The source explained that the anticipated cuts are mostly due to the current military budget, which is essentially flat, compared to the cost of supporting troops on the current pay scale, which is constantly rising. If changes are not made in the realm of salary and benefits, corners would most likely be cut for new weapons and technological research. 

Hagel noted that although the cuts are likely to happen, keeping the troops appropriately supported is still a top priority. 

"In the end, as advanced as our technologies are, as good as they will become, even better, without quality people, it won't matter. … We are going to continue to keep and must prioritize a cycle of bringing good people, the best people, into this business," he told sailors aboard the assault ship America.

The U.S. is planning to deploy 400 troops to help train the Syrian opposition that is fighting Islamic extremists. 

Military Times reported that the soldiers will most likely be sent to Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, where they will help instruct moderate Syrian rebels. Reuters explained that the mission, which will begin in the spring, is a crucial part of the U.S. response to the religious militants, in addition to subjecting them to airstrikes. The $500 million initiative is expected to help train 5,000 people over the next year. Experts at the Pentagon believe that in order to fully reclaim the portion of eastern Syria currently controlled by the jihadists, roughly 15,000 soldiers will need to be trained. 

In addition to the 400 training servicemembers, the U.S. will send 3,000 troops to Iraq, just across the border from Syria. These soldiers will be advising and training Kurdish and Iraqi recruits, explained Military Times. They will join the 2,100 American troops currently stationed in Iraq. 

"This is going to be hard. We have to recruit the guys, we have to assume that there are a lot of guys who are recruitable, there's got to be some vetting. This is not going to be an easy enterprise here," an unidentified senior defense official told Defense One.