For a member of the military returning from the service, the idea of choosing where to live may be a bit novel. To help with the decision, Military Times released a list naming the best small, medium and large cities for veterans in the U.S.

To compile the list, Military Times reported that it considered where the cities finished in its other rankings, including universities, employers, technical colleges and law enforcement agencies. Nearly 600 cities were considered and 75 made the cut, 25 in each of the three categories. 

According to the final ranking, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma comprised the top five large cities in the country for veterans.

San Diego's educational opportunities were one of the main reasons that it edged out competitors, Military Times reported. Both the University of San Diego and San Diego State University made it on the list of best colleges for vets in 2015. 

"It's a very attractive climate. It's a very cosmopolitan city," said Jack Harkins, chairman of the United Veterans Council of San Diego County. "Many, many excellent colleges and universities in the area."

Veterans may also enjoy catching a baseball game in the city. Every Sunday when playing at home, the San Diego Padres wear camouflage uniforms to pay tribute to members of the armed forces, the franchise reported.  

For those who favor small-town life, Military Times recommended Glen Burnie, Maryland; Bethesda, Maryland; Ellicott City, Maryland; Camarillo, California and Yorba Linda, California Ellicot and Camarillo both boast veteran unemployment rates of under 4 percent, and in Bethesda the median income for a veteran is $97,472, the list reported. 

Gary Sines may not have a real-life military career, but his commitment to the armed forces has spanned multiple decades. This fall he will be formally recognized for his efforts by a prestigious U.S. military academy. 

The West Point Association of Graduates announced on June 11 that Sines is the 2015 recipient of the Sylvanus Thayer Award. The award is the highest honor given by the association to a non-graduate and recognizes an outstanding citizen who exemplifies the West Point motto of "Duty, Honor, Country," the statement explained. Former recipients include Bob Hope, Neil Armstrong and, most recently, Condoleezza Rice. 

Sines, best known for his role as Lt. Dan in the Academy Award-winning movie "Forrest Gump," has a longstanding relationship with the military that surpasses his portrayal of the lieutenant. The Army Times reported that he is a veteran of multiple United Service Organizations tours to support troop morale and has been involved in fundraising and recruitment efforts. He is also a founding member of the Lt. Dan Band, named after the iconic character that he portrayed. The group performs at about 50 military-related events a year.  

"To be recognized with such a distinguished honor is truly a privilege and I hope that this recognition only helps to further shine a light in the continuing mission of supporting those who serve and depend our great country," Sines said in a statement.

West Point reported that Sine will receive the award on Oct. 22 at a ceremony hosted by the superintendent of West Point, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen. 

Civil War history is lying under the waters of the Savannah River. With the help of a U.S. Navy dive team, it may be salvaged. 

The CSS Georgia, an ironclad warship, was built to protect the city of Savannah, Georgia, in 1862, Navy Times reported. It was scuttled in the river near the end of the Civil War.

Navy Times reported that Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 23 was deployed to the site on June 1 and will spend just under two months freeing the Confederate ship from the bottom of the river.

According to The Associated Press, the divers will remove the wreckage in the following categories: four cannons, live ordinance, forward and aft armor casements, and engine remnants.

CWO3 Jason Potts, commander of MDSC-23, told Navy Times that the environment will provide the team with the biggest challenge. Because the remains of the ship are on the edge of a shipping channel, the divers will have to battle strong currents and shifting debris. 

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. 

Transitioning back into civilian life after serving in the military can be difficult. Often, some of the challenges are caused by the misconceptions and myths about veterans perpetuated by civilians who have little knowledge of the experience of members of the armed forces. But journalism students from the University of Michigan hope to help combat some of those misconceptions with their new book "100 Questions and Answers About Veterans: A Guide for Civilians." 

The book is composed of 100 questions that veterans said they wish civilians knew the answers to, according to the University of Michigan. Questions range from knowledge of basic military life, such as the meanings of Memorial Day and Veterans Day, to more personal questions such as why veterans often prefer people do not thank them for their service.

"Veterans are frequently misunderstood by well-meaning civilians who want to reach out, but who might not know just how," said Joe Grimm, the School of Journalism's editor in residence who led the class that researched and wrote the book. "This guide was created to help close that knowledge gap."

Though written by the journalism students, the questions and answers were reviewed by veterans of the Marines, Army, Air Force and Navy, including Director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Jeff Barnes, the University of Michigan reported.

The book is part of a larger series on cultural competence. Other guides by Grimm's "Bias Buster" class focused on Native Americans, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and more. All seek to promote greater understanding by breaking down walls and encouraging communication between diverse groups.

"Given the similarities between vets and other groups of people who are frequently stereotyped, this would be a place we could do some work," Grimm told The Associated Press.

The book is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

From deployments to relocations, military life can present many challenges for families. Luckily, technology is being developed to help address some of these difficulties. These five mobile apps aim to make life easier for military families by providing valuable resources straight to their phones.

1. My Military Life
The National Military Family Association created the My Military Life app to give families credible information to help navigate a variety of relevant topics. According to the NMFA, these situations include deployment, moving, parenthood and transitioning out of the military, among others. When a user downloads the app, he or she answers a few preliminary questions to help the app determine which topics are applicable. 

2. Sesame Street for Military Families
Who better to help young kids through the challenges of military life than their favorite characters from "Sesame Street"? This app has resources, videos and activities to help military families navigate difficult issues by encouraging kids to recognize and express their feelings. Topics that are covered include injuries, grief, homecomings, deployments and self-expression. The resources provided by the app are available in both English and Spanish. 

3. My Base Guide
Families who relocate will find My Base Guide to be a useful resource for simplifying the process. The app provides information on base regulations, registration, education and schools, housing and more, which is perfect for a transition to a new location. The app contains this helpful information for more than 120 bases in the U.S.

4. Babies on the Homefront
​Taking care of a baby is difficult under the best of circumstances, but being in the military brings additional challenges. The Babies on the Homefront app attempts to smooth the experience for military parents of children up to age 3 by providing tips to handle bad behavior, ideas for creative play time and suggestions for self-care, the app's website reported. The app, developed by ZERO TO THREE: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, allows parents to personalize their account with their baby's picture and age, and specify their situation using a variety of options such as "at home," "deployed" or "leaving soon."

5. FOCUS on the Go!
Created by the Families Overcoming Under Stress Project for Military Families, the FOCUS on the Go! app provides fun, educational games for families to play together. The games provide opportunities to practice solving problems and communicating while helping Buddy Bear through different challenges. Kids also learn relaxation tools and ways to identify their emotions. 

Military uniforms perform an honorable duty when they are in use, but once they are no longer needed, they are often discarded or packed away. However, those looking for an alternative option are in luck. A U.S. Marine mom is turning old uniforms into treasured mementos for loved ones. 

Elsa Zarate, an Army veteran, operates Bands 4 Courage, a company that creates bands and bracelets from military uniforms. According to her website, Zarate was inspired when her son was on his first deployment overseas with the Marines.

Zarate took pieces of her son's boot camp uniform and fashioned them into a band in order to symbolically keep him close while he was away, Today News reported. People soon started asking about the bracelet, and the idea for Bands 4 Courage was born.

"The more compliments I received the more I wanted to show my appreciation to our servicemembers and find a way to uphold the honor of their used Military uniforms instead of it being trashed or misused," Zarate said on her Etsy page.   

Zarate uses fabrics, buttons, patches and any other salvageable part of the uniform to make each of her final products unique. Each item is delivered with a card containing information about the person who owned the uniform that was used to make the band, and free bracelets are given to anyone who donates a uniform. 

Bands and bracelets can be ordered from the Bands 4 Courage website or the company's shop on Etsy. While there are many options online, customization is also available.

It is common for military families to have to move frequently. These transitions can be challenging, as aspects like moving with children can make the process stressful without good planning. Preparing for your move a few weeks before the day will help reduce any anxiety you may have about the transition.

Whether you are an expert or this is your first time switching homes, before your next move, remember these tips to ensure that your experience is as stress-free and positive as possible.

1. Declutter as often as you can
Over the years, a house can start to accumulate a significant amount of your belongings. It is best to frequently declutter your home. It helps to determine if you want to keep something based off of whether you are willing to move it to another house down the line.

Military.com recommended going through everything as frequently as every 10 days, especially if you have children who tend to collect a number of toys. Go through their closets with them and figure out what they are willing to get rid of. Having a yard sale with any items you do not want to keep but are not willing to throw away will reduce the amount of stress you feel on moving day.

2. Choose trustworthy packers
When your spouse is away and you are responsible for moving everything on your own, movers and packers are extremely valuable. While most people focus on finding movers they can trust – which is important – they often forget to focus on finding reliable packers. They are the ones who will be making sure that your belongings get to your destination in one piece, so it is essential that you can trust them. Sometimes it can even be worth it to praise their hard work, as this often encourages them to do a better job.

3. Pack a box for your first day
According to MilitarySpouse, packing a box with all of the essentials you will need for your first day at your new home will make the moving process run a lot smoother. Think of everything, from towels for showering to a broom to get rid of any debris that enters the house after moving boxes in and out all day. Be sure that your box is not put in the moving truck with all of the others. Sometimes using a bag instead of a box can make these items easier to carry and may fit better in your car.

4. Take pictures of complicated cords
If you do not know the ins and outs of the cables and cords involved in the setup of your electronics, it can be challenging to reinstall everything without assistance after you move. Before unplugging electronic devices like your television and computer, it can save you a lot of trouble to snap a picture. When you get to your new house, you can refer to the photo as you plug everything back in.

5. Have a plan for unpacking
A home overflowing with unpacked boxes can be overwhelming. Having a plan can speed up the process. After a couple of moves, you may have determined what works for your family. For example, if you have children, tell them that after unpacking five boxes you will go to a nearby park or pizza place to motivate them.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to never open more than one box at once. This makes everything feel more chaotic. Tackle one at a time and take breaks if you feel yourself start to get stressed out. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to hear the nation's best ideas for how to use technology to improve quality of life for veterans with disabilities. 

The VA's new Innovation Creation Series for Prosthetics and Assistive Technologies is a two-month campaign that seeks to gather ideas for innovative ways to solve problems that disabled veterans face every day.  

 "We're reaching out to technology leaders in the corporate world and to the public in order to find creative new solutions to help transform care and quality of life not only for our veterans, but for the public at large," VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald said. "The innovations that come out of this challenge will benefit the veterans we care for and will be open source to help advance American medicine."

The series launched on May 15 in Palo Alto, California. According to Stanford University, guest speakers at the launch included Beijing Paralympics gold-medalist Oscar Sanchez, director of the Center for Women Veterans Elisa Basnight, and White House Maker-In-Residence Stephanie Santoso. 

According to the VA, the organization is calling for innovators to submit ideas to address the following five challenges: 

1. Develop a device that can be put on the end of an upper or lower extremity prosthetic for use in daily life.
2. Create a pillbox with a built-in reminder system that can be used for pills that need to be taken up to eight times a day.
3. Design technology that would change the speed and grip strength of an upper extremity prosthetic. 
4. Develop a video game controller that would provide alternative access for veterans who are using them in therapy. 
5. Create an apparatus to dampen tremors during the performance of tasks that require fine motor skills. 

Solutions to these challenges would give disabled veterans greater autonomy and reduce some of the stress they deal with every day. They could also provide aid to members of the general public who face the same struggles. 

The launch was the beginning of a tour that will cross the country en route to Washington, D.C., where the National Maker Faire takes place on June 12 and 13. The series will then conclude with final judging on July 29 at the Richmond VA Medical Center.

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.