From his gift for stand-up comedy to his role as a nanny in "Mrs. Doubtfire," Robin Williams won the hearts and laughs of millions. But there's another side of the legendary actor and comic that some overlook. He was also showed incredible support to American soldiers.

Over a decade of performing for troops
According to Fox News, Williams participated in United Service Organization tours for over a decade, traveling to war zones in 13 countries and performing stand-up for nearly 90,000 troops. His respect for servicemembers of the U.S. ran deep, and he even spoke about his experience performing for soldiers in an interview with ABC News back in 2012.

"I'm so honored to meet them and know what they've gone through and say, 'Hey dude,' this is just something that really humbles me," Williams said, according to the news source.

Servicemembers remember Robin Williams
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel issued a statement Aug. 11, reading, "The entire Department of Defense community mourns the loss of Robin Williams. Robin was a gifted actor and comedian, but he was also a true friend and supporter of our troops. From entertaining thousands of service men and women in war zones, to his philanthropy that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war, he was a loyal and compassionate advocate for all who serve this nation in uniform. He will be dearly missed by the men and women of DoD – so many of whom were personally touched by his humor and generosity."

Even off the stage during his USO tours, Williams showed his dedication to soldiers by visiting those who couldn't see his routine, according to ABC News' global correspondent Martha Raddatz.

"He would be tireless at these performances," Raddatz said in an ABC News report. "He would perform in the big shows where everyone could go see him, but when others were performing, he'd sneak away and go to the guard posts and the dining facilities to visit those soldiers and marines who weren't able to come to the big show."

The loss of Williams reverberated through every sector of the armed forces, even warranting a statement from President Barack Obama .

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between," Obama said  "But he was one of a kind.  He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.  He made us laugh.  He made us cry.  He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.  The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Google Glass is one of the more cutting edge technological developments unveiled in the last several months, and now a Connecticut-based company is looking to integrate the optical head-mounted display into the first responder community. The corporation, Mutualink, Inc., believes the devices could be used by everyone from law enforcement officers to firefighters as they look to keep the public safe.

Although the plans are still in the earliest stages, Mutualink expects the glasses to tap into the congressionally mandated first responder network that is still in the process of being developed. Should it be successful, the program would provide first responders with the chance to quickly review health records, review building blueprints or watching security cameras. Mutualink will present their plans at the upcoming APCO 2013 conference.

"The capabilities that are made possible by combining Google Glass and Mutualink can save lives in many crisis response situations," said Joe Mazzarella, Senior Vice President of Mutualink. "Though Google Glass is still in beta, we are quite enthusiastic to be at the cutting edge of technology, and taking a leading role with Google Glass and its novel implications from a societal benefit perspective."

While the use of Google Glass could improve how first responders do their jobs, the development has not been without its critics, especially surrounding security and privacy issues. However, developers say their use will be no different than many surveillance methods already in place. 

The Boston Red Sox may have been on the West Coast Monday night, but Fenway Park was certainly not unoccupied. A group of injured troops, known as the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, squared off against the Boston Marathon First Responders in an event that not only showcased what veterans are capable of but also served as a fundraiser for those affected by the April bombings at the Boston Marathon, MLB.com reports.

The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team is more than feel-good story. Comprised of servicemembers who have been injured during combat, the team shows off impressive skill, even though all of its players are missing a variety of limbs. For instance, Matthew Kinsey is missing a foot and Joshua Wege runs on two prosthetic legs. For Kyle Earl, who lost his hand in an improvised explosive device explosion in 2006, watching the rest of his team play is an honor.

"I'm in awe every day watching these guys play," Earl told the website. "Josh over at first base, he's missing both his legs, but he can do splits. He can jump 6 to 8 inches."

Perhaps not surprisingly, the wounded warrior squad went on to win 28-11. The event was just one of many the team has participated in over the years, and its next stop is in Washington to play against a team of correction officers. 

Country music superstar Tim McGraw has long been an avid supporter of first responders, and now the "Something Like That" singer is teaming up with Duracell to honor the heroic efforts of police and firefighters. The initiative, dubbed Quantum Heroes, will donate one million batteries to first responders across North America while paying tribute to their impressive work through a series of videos.

The series premiered earlier this week with a video spot honoring the work of New York's firefighters after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the city last year. There will be more videos in the coming weeks, all appearing on Duracell's YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages. McGraw said that teaming up with Duracell was a no-brainer.

"As a touring musician, I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of first responders across our country, the brave guys and girls who show incredible bravery in the face of natural disasters and other emergency situations," said McGraw. "I'm joining with Duracell Quantum to recognize the amazing work of these unassuming heroes. I was able to spend some time with the first responders from the Quantum Heroes video series, and I walked away truly inspired."

McGraw also has a long history of supporting military families. Last year, he gave away 25 mortgage-free homes to wounded or needy servicemembers, The Associated Press reported.

The 19 firefighters who were killed during an intense wildfire in Arizona earlier this summer were hailed as heroes, but their surviving family members say they're not receiving the benefits they're entitled to because the elite crew was a seasonal squad. Now, a state legislator is pushing hard to provide full-time survivors' benefits to the families, the Prescott Daily Courier reports.

Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin is drafting legislation that would grant full-time state employee benefits to any worker who dies on state lands, and if passed it would apply retroactively to the firefighters killed battling the blaze. The move is the only logical choice, Tobin says.

"To be putting your life on the line for part-time survivor benefits is not what I consider appropriate when people are defending the citizens of Arizona, particularly on state land," he told the newspaper.

The controversy was raised earlier this week when the widow of one of those killed brought the discrepancy to everyone's attention. Juliann Ashcraft, the wife of deceased firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, maintains her husband was a full-time employee and is entitled to the lifetime benefits, CBS News reports.

Fighting the wildfires plaguing the western U.S. has been a joint effort between federal and local officials as well as first responders and servicemembers. New Mexico plans to take things to the next level for next summer, as the state's governor Susana Martinez recently asked for increased funding to hire hundreds of veterans as firefighters, according to The Associated Press.

This isn't the first time New Mexico has reached out to former troops to help fight fires. Earlier this year, about 40 veterans signed on to help with approximately 250 seasonal firefighters to battle the wildfires, which typically spike during the hot summer months. The trial program was largely successful, so Martinez felt it was time to make it a staple of the state's response, the AP reports. Vets who have participated have reported a positive experience.

"I kind of joined this program not knowing really what it was all about," Iraq veteran Brian Philips told NBC affiliate KOB. "After the first fire, which was the Piedra fire up in the Sandias, I just fell in love with it right away. It's a really good program. We have great crew bosses that we trust one hundred percent."

Similar programs around the country may help bring down the unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans. According to recent Labor Department statistics, the rate rose during July to 7.7 percent. 

When Hurricane Sandy rocked the East Coast last year, first responders played a vital role in keeping citizens in New York, New Jersey and elsewhere safe, and now they're being thanked for their exemplary efforts. JetBlue recently handed out dozens of flight vouchers to first responders and their families who live in some of the New Jersey towns that were hit hardest by the powerful storm, The Star-Ledger reports.

Each town selected its own recipients of the prizes, with emergency workers in Middletown, Sea Bright, Seaside Heights and Toms River all earning the vouchers. Among those who were honored was Jane Geoghegan, who volunteers for Toms River's Silverton Emergency Medical Services. The 73-year-old, who has been volunteering for nearly 50 years, helped rescue people while she was unable to get into her heavily damaged home. 

"It's just nice that they're doing this. I couldn't believe it. Out of all the bad things that happened, all this time. This is really nice," she told the newspaper. "We haven't been the recipients of too many funds that are out there."

Although it's been nearly a year since Hurricane Sandy hit, many communities along the Jersey shore are still recovering. In fact, earlier this month the Statue of Liberty re-opened for the first time since closing after the storm due to damage.

As the wildfires plaguing much of Arizona, Colorado and California proved, skilled firefighters are invaluable, and thanks to the recent progress of the 2014 Homeland Security spending bill, they will likely have the federal funding they require. The legislation includes approximately $675 million in funding for firefighters to ensure they have the proper training, equipment and vehicles to keep communities across the country safe.

Much of the money will be doled out through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which was created by Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski 12 years ago. Additionally, about $337.5 million of the bill will go toward Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants, which place an emphasis on recruiting new firefighters and retaining the experienced employees. 

"The federal funding helps our firehouses hire and retain the first responders they need to keep our communities safe," Mikulski said. "Every day when our first responders report for duty, they don't know what they will face. This funding will provide our protectors with the equipment, training and resources they need to do their jobs."

Although the bill made it through the Senate Appropriations Committee, it still has a long road ahead. Now, the legislation heads to the Senate floor for a vote, but a date has yet to be scheduled. 

Extreme heat has plagued the southwest for the last several days, which has led to a slew of intense wildfires, and in Arizona the fight against these intense blazes just took a turn for the worse. On Sunday night the Yarnell Hill Fire claimed the lives of 19 firefighters – most of whom were members of an elite force trained to repel the most serious wildfires, The Arizona Republic reports.

Fast-moving fire
The blaze was caused by a lightning strike, but it was exacerbated considerably due to high temperatures and dry winds. By Sunday afternoon, it had already burned an estimated 1,000 acres and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes. Given the seriousness of the situation, the elite firefighting team, known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots, were deployed. According to the Chicago Tribune, the deceased firefighters were overtaken by flames and heat while they were in the process of deploying shelters designed to provide protection as the fire moved past them. 

Local community hit hard
With the deaths of 19, the blaze marks the largest loss of life for firefighters since the Sept. 11 attacks. According to figures from the National Fire Protection Association, the last wildfire to kill this many responders was in 1933 when a blaze in Los Angeles claimed the lives of 29 firefighters. Before that, a wildfire in Idaho killed 86 firefighters. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said in a statement it may be a long time until the scope of the tragedy is fully realized.

"This is as dark a day as I can remember," she said. "It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: Fighting fires is dangerous work."

Arizona is not alone
The Grand Canyon state is just one of many states throughout the southwestern U.S. battling significant wildfires this summer. To the north in Colorado, firefighters have been responding to significant flames for most of the last two weeks {fix}, according to The New York Times. The most serious ones have been located in Black Forest, where the fires claimed the lives of two people while destroying hundreds of homes. It is the most damaging wildfire in the history of the state. 

Whether they are responding to a fire or leaping into action at a car accident, first responders put their lives on the line on a daily basis. Yet despite this selfless dedication to their job, their bravery often goes unrecognized, and one Massachusetts legislator is hoping to change that. Rep. Michael Capuano recently announced plans to introduce a new bill that would create a national holiday for first responders, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Close to home
Capuano was inspired to lead the charge due to recent events in his home state of Massachusetts. Specifically, after seeing the way emergency personnel responded to the April 15 bombings at the Boston Marathon he felt it necessary to recognize their service. He also decided to lead the charge thanks in large part to a petition launched by Andrew Collier, whose brother Sean – a MIT police officer- was allegedly shot and killed by the suspects. The petition called on Congress to create a day to honor for first responders and has more than 12,500 signature as of Tuesday.

"We've witnessed the bravery and heroism of these men and women time and again – from running into the Twin Towers on 9/11; to heading toward the sound of gunfire in Colorado, Connecticut, and too many other recent tragedies; and facing danger for our protection in every community, every day," Collier wrote.

Recognition on a smaller scale
While there has yet to be a national holiday for first responders, those who leaped into action at the marathon bombing have been honored by communities around the country. One of the most recent events of this kind was hosted by the Navy. Earlier in June, the branch paid tribute to around 400 first responders by giving them a free ride on the USS Constitution, one of the country's most well-known ships. 

More than Boston
Although the heroic efforts of the first responders in Boston helped shed a light on the work emergency personnel does on a daily basis, events in the months since have done the same. Most recently, firefighters in Colorado have been working around the clock to battle back flames that have been burning for more than two weeks. According to The Associated Press, the wildfires have caused at least $22 million in damage.