This week marks the start of RIMPAC 2014, the multinational maritime training exercise. First started in 1971 by the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, this program has joined naval units around the globe in a collaborative exercise for the past 23 years. The United States will be sending 24 ships to participate, including various cruiser, destroyer, frigate, aircraft carrier, amphibious assault, littoral combat, and attack submarine ships. Overall, the 2014 event will include 47 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft carriers and 25,000 sailors.

Wide array of training exercises
RIMPAC will continue from this week until the beginning of August. The Pacific Fleet has scheduled events in the areas of disaster relief, maritime security operations, sea control and complex war fighting. The Navy has also planned a number of training exercises for participants of the event, including "amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises as well as counterpiracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations," according to the Navy.

New participants
For the first time, the People's Republic of China will be participating in the event, which aims to foster cooperative relationships between countries around the world to sustain better security on global ocean space. The event, held every two years, takes place in the Pacific Rim, in and around the Hawaiian islands. This ocean area in particular has a long history of naval action and warfare, as WWII veterans in life after service know. This year, 22 countries will participate in RIMPAC, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the People's Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Tonga, the U.K., and the U.S. Both China and Brunei are first-time participants. 

The U.S. Navy invited China to the event in the hopes of easing growing naval tensions between that country and neighboring states. As China's naval forces have grown, a few territorial disputes have occurred with Taiwanese and Vietnamese naval forces.

"As the United States builds a stronger foundation for a military-to-military relationship with China, it also will continue to monitor China's evolving military strategy, doctrine, and force development and encourage China to be more transparent about its military modernization program," read the Pentagon's annual 2014 report to Congress.

Global maritime cooperation
Hopefully, the invitation and acceptance to participate in this years RIMPAC exercise will improve the relationship between China's navy and U.S. defense, answering part of the question of, as Ronald O'Rourke explained in a Congressional Research Service report, "how the U.S. should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort," which he cites has having "emerged as a key issue in U.S. defense planning."

In a meeting between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping, they agreed that "enhanced and substantive military dialogue and communication would foster greater understanding and expand mutual trust." 

On July 4 this year, America turns 238. Independence day marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776 to proclaim U.S. independence from England. This document was vital in defining America as its own, separate entity, no longer subjects of the British king. The American Revolution had already been underway for the year leading up July 4, 1776. With the conflict heating up, a five-man committee decided to create a document that outlined the ideals of what would one day be the United States of America. 

It was Richard Henry Lee of Virginia who first presented a proclamation of independence on June 7, 1776. He was quoted saying, "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

Following in the days after this proposed resolution, with each colony tasked with voting either for or against Lee's influential words, there was no direct solution, as some disagreed with this proclamation. In order to appease opponents, a committee was instructed to draft an official resolution document. The committee consisted of John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Thomas Jefferson. They presented a statement, the Declaration of Independence, describing the case for emancipation, to Congress. 

On July 1, 1776, the colonies voted again on Lee's proposed resolution, drafted into the Declaration. With nine votes for the Declaration, two against, one undecided and one abstaining from voting, the resolution was approved. Subsequent drafting occurred until July 4, when the declaration was officially approved. This act was the first united action that America took against Britain, and the first step on the road to becoming its own independent nation. What started out as a country of 2.5 million in 1776 has since grown to a nation of 311.17 million in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Population Clock. 

July 4 is now a day on which those fighting to maintain the independence of the U.S. in the military or life after service should be recognized for their service to the country. The forefathers fought for the independence of America from its colonial ruler, forming a union of states under one set of ideals, and July 4 is a day to remember the early military strength of the nation.

A Native American WWII veteran, Paul Coon, passed away at 95 on June 23, 2014. Coon was a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, a culture that claimed extensive territory in the Southeastern U.S. before 1500 AD, according to the official Muscogee website. Coon was the last surviving Native American involved in the Baataan Death March, during which the Japanese military forced tens of thousands of soldiers on a 65-mile voyage in the Philippines in 1942. He also survived a prisoner of war labor camp in Japan, for which he received his war honors. Principal Chief George Tiger of the Muscogee tribe commented in a statement about the recent death of the servicemember.

"He always told me that he felt like he was able to overcome the Death March because of his faith and because he knew people back home were praying for him. He had a lot of things to say about life, about the Creek Nation," Tiger said in a news release. "We were honored as the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to have him as a tribal citizen. I think Indian Country was honored to have him being who he was."

Before his death, Coon was able to visit the POW site that he was held at in Japan. Now, the vacant site is next to a former copper mine. He was able to meet with the mayor of the town, Kosaka, where he was forced to work in during the war. Japanese government officials then had the chance to apologize to Coon and others in life after service for their mistreatment during the war. 

Fox News reported that upon returning to his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he was awarded with the Prisoner of War medal, Bronze Star, and a Combat Infantryman Badge in an informal ceremony.

"I've been blessed to come this far in life," Fox reported Coon said at the time. "I thank the Lord for watching over me."

On June 19, the Washington Nationals dedicated their game against the Houston Astros to the men and women that serve their country. The major league baseball team honored Army members and veterans at the game as part of the Army's 239th birthday celebration.

Army groups, including the United States Blues Band and the Army Drill team, performed as baseball fans took their seats. The opening ceremonies began with the National Anthem, sung by the Army Chorus. The first ball was pitched by Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno.

"I always love performing at big venues like Nationals Park. The support from the crowd is overwhelming and it just solidifies the fact that what we are doing is important and appreciated by so many great Americans," said Cpl. Derek Ivey, U.S. Army Drill team soloist.

The Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, received special recognition for their valiant service to their nation. They were invited onto the field before the game to experience the opening ceremony. Three soldiers from the Old Guard, including Staff Sgt. Jacob C. West, Headquarters Company, and Spc. Vincent A. Cottle, H-HC Regiment, were chosen to be the Washington Nationals' VIP guests, and sat in the Lexus Presidents Suite during the team's batting practice prior to the official game.

The game ball was delivered by Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh. He went onto express his appreciation to the Washington Nationals and had a message for troops overseas:

"This week particularly, the 239th birthday, we want to tell them, first of all, how much we continue to value their service, their sacrifice, and all the freedoms that lucky people like me get to enjoy. [These freedoms] were first won by and now preserved by the men and women who put on that Army uniform. God bless them for that, and Army strong."

Although the game was in honor of the Army's birthday, the Washington Nationals are known to host "branch" nights to honor both those serving and veterans living their life after service. The next branch night will be Aug. 6 and will be honoring the Coast Guard.

The Washington Nationals won their game against the Astros 6-5. They faced a setback in the fourth inning, when the Houston Astros scored four runs, but were able to make an underdog comeback in the seventh inning.

The White House announced Monday that Sgt. Ryan Pitts will receive the Medal of Honor for his participation in the Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan, the highest award honor that a soldier can receive. Pitts will be the ninth living soldier from the Iraqi and Afghan wars, according to the Army Times, to​ be given the Medal of Honor. Seven other soldiers had received the award posthumously.

The Battle of Wanat occurred on July 13, 2008, when 200 enemy fighters attacked Pitts' post around 4 a.m. The Wall Street Journal reported that all of the paratroopers were injured at the scene and two died. Pitts was hit with shrapnel in his arm and leg. Despite suffering from a large wound on his thigh, he continued to fight, throwing grenades to hold back the insurgents. He soon found himself to be one of the only troops still able to fight. Staff Sgt. Sean Samaroo, Sgt. Israel Garcia, Spc. Michael Denton and Spc. Jacob Sones protected the post while Pitts fought and they only were able to find relief when backup helicopters arrived. Pitts was evacuated from the area due to medical reasons, along with Sgt. Samaroo, and Spcs. Sones and Denton.

According to the defense department's report of the battle, Pitts "allowed U.S. forces time to reinforce the [observation post] and bring-in airstrikes which turned the tide of the battle."

Col. Bill Ostlund, who served with Pitts at the time, gave Pitts credit for saving many of his fellow soldiers' lives and for preventing them all from being overrun by the enemy.

Pitts left the Army in 2009 for medical reasons. He currently is spending his life after service in Nashua, New Hampshire with his wife, Amy, and son, Lucas, working for a computer software company helping with business development.

"Everybody sacrificed a lot that day," Pitts said to the Army Times, describing how he felt about receiving the Medal of Honor. "I try to think about the guys we lost and try to do my best to honor them and the gift they gave me. I hate the word 'hero.' But I feel very fortunate when I look at the guys I served with. They're my heroes. It was the honor of my lifetime to serve with them."

The idea of a soldier climbing up on a horse and riding into battle may seem like a scene out of the Old West, but the Marines have recently begun to reconsider how horses are used in the military. According to USA Today, a program is being run in the Sierra dessert that will train Marines and Special Forces to ride and care for their new mounts.

Tony Parkhurst is the director of the horsemanship and mule packing course. A retired Marine himself, Parkhurst has spent his life after service continuing to help his fellow soldiers. He created the program based on old training manuals from the time of the U.S. Cavalry and has been studying the fighting tactics of the Native Americans.

"The Indians were actually better than our cavalry," Parkhurst told USA Today. "They were phenomenal guerrilla fighters."

The use of horses in warfare is an age-old tradition that died out when tanks and other technology became available in the first half of the 20th century. 

Horses in modern warfare
In today's combat zones, such as Afghanistan, horses can be an invaluable resource that soldiers taking the horsemanship course will be able to utilize. With its mountainous and rocky terrain, a tank or military vehicle can only go so far. Instead of having to travel ahead on foot, the horses give the soldiers better mobility. They also are able to cover much greater distances than a soldier on foot, cutting down on travel time. Horses provide a quieter and more covert method of transportation compared to vehicles, allowing troops to travel undetected. The unconventional battle situations that the Marines face in such areas requires unconventional methods.

The program is being operated through the Mountain Warfare Training Center in California, according to a release issued by the Marine Corps. On top of learning to ride horses and mules, the Marines here learn how to utilize pack animals, which help greatly when it comes to transporting gear over large distances.

"We teach Marines how to use pack animals and riding animals as a means to transport people and supplies when ground vehicles or air support isn't possible," Parkhurst was quoted saying in the release. The Marine Corps stopped using pack animals in 1953, but the Department of Defense began to re-explore their usefulness in 1983.

Benefits of animal knowledge

The Marines are also taught the basic veterinary skills needed to maintain their horses in the field and how to manage a herd. This knowledge comes in handy when they are interacting with the nomadic tribes of areas such as the Middle East, providing a basic connection. The soldiers are able to help locals with their herds if necessary, which can help build trust between the two groups.

Mark Rossignol, former business manager for Smith Lake Stables, helped run a now-closed program similar to the MWTC that was run out of Fort Bragg. He explained the importance of this to Horse Channel.

"We teach them about anatomy and basic vet care," he said. "That's because many times these troops are working with the local people."

The U.S. Army is in the process of creating a new parachute for its soldiers, one that is easier to maneuver, allows for higher drops and may make missions safer. 

The new long-range infiltration parachute will allow members of the Special Forces to jump from up to 35,000 feet, according to Major Ernesto Perez, the Army's assistant product manager for Airdrop Systems. From this height, soldiers will be able to drop on their target with greater stealth.

"This parachute allows you to land everybody within a 25 to 30 meter circle, instead of having all your guys spread out wherever the wind carried them along the drop zone," Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Ford explained in a recently released Army video. In addition to giving troops the ability to jump from a higher altitude, they will also be able to steer and direct their parachute, allowing them greater control over their landing zone.

The chute is known as the RA-1 and has the ability to carry up to 450 pounds, allowing troops to carry more gear during a drop and therefore be more prepared at the landing site. With the current model, troops are sometimes unable to wear their armor when dropping into unknown situations.

In May, the parachutes were tested by 30 paratroopers and 50 military free fall paratroopers at drop zones at Laurinburg, Clinton, and Raeford, North Carolina. In a recent Army news release, test plan analyst Rodrick Manke explained that they were testing the chutes for safety and effectiveness.

"The RA-1 is an individual soldier's parachute system consisting of a main parachute, reserve parachute, harness and container," said Manke. "It is designed to allow insertion by both Military Free Fall and Double Bag Static Line techniques depending on mission deployment requirements."

The new parachute design was created with both the soldiers' safety and comfort in mind. Perez explained to the Army Times that, with the current parachute model, the harness will make a soldier's legs go numb during a fall and make it hard for them to land smoothly. The new harness will put pressure on the soldier's back, protecting their legs from falling asleep and allowing a safer landing.

This new design will soon replace the current MC-4. The Army benefits greatly from new innovations such as the RA-1 and will continue improving on its current designs. The RA-1 is reportedly going to be fielded to special ops forces during the third quarter of this year, according to the Fort Hood Sentinel.

For military families, video chat technology such as FaceTime and Skype have helped  them through months or even years of a loved one's tour abroad. It can be difficult for families to adjust to a family member's deployment, especially when they may have young children at home. Being able to communicate "in person" on camera and more often has improved the quality of life for servicemembers and their families back home until they retire during life after service. 

Keeping in touch
For the Danneker family, FaceTime is a daily ritual that helps keep JBER Technical Sgt. Shawn in touch with the home front. A member of the Air Force, Shawn is currently serving in Qatar as a station chief and lead firefighter at Al Udeid Air Base. With two young children at home, a toddler and newborn, Shawn's wife Britney believes that her husband isn't the only one serving his country.

"Because he's in the military, I'm almost in the military too," she told KTUU news, "I know he's serving and everything but we do our part at home. We may not be in a combat zone but we are holding down the fort here."

She looks forward to the day that he returns and can once again be a part of their children's lives. Until then, the family maintains a morning routine of video chatting Shawn to keep connected and involved in each other's lives, even when apart. These modern technologies have helped keep other military families sane until they can be reunited once again after a long tour. 

Frequent communication is key 
According to Foster's Daily Democrat, the physical separation that is frequent with military members has to be offset by a deep emotional connection with children while a parent is abroad. When families communicate frequently, it boosts the morale of the children and also the deployed family member. With this research in mind, Foster's recommends creating a communication plan before deployment to make sure that families stay involved in each other's lives. 

When Ginger Munson and her children planned to contact her husband, Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Q. Munson, this past Father's Day, she began to recall the communication methods of the past, when she had to mail audiocassette tapes just so her husband could hear her voice during Desert Storm. 

Nowadays, video chatting has made the distance between family members seem a lot shorter. Though emerging video chat technologies have helped families seem closer than ever, there are certain downsides of being so connected to the war zone. Munson reflects on a time that she overheard an exploding mortar during one phone call with her husband, followed by an abrupt goodbye, leaving her uncertain and worried.

However, the Democrat believes that frequent communication can strengthen families during deployment and keep them thriving when apart. Like anything, deployment is an adjustment before, during and after, but keeping communication open and constant will help to ease families back into the routine of having their loved ones around physically instead of just on the computer. 

Traumatic Brain Injuries affect millions of people in the U.S. every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these injuries caused by head trauma – anything from a jolt to the head to a severe head injury – can disrupt functioning of the brain. This disruption can mean anything from a brief change in consciousness or mental state to an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia. In the case of severe TBI, where the patient may be unconscious for a period after the accident, there are long-term symptoms that affect not only the victim but his or her family. Different areas of the brain may be severely affected by the trauma, including areas responsible for cognitive function, motor function, sensation or emotion.

For one military family, a husband  returning from Iraq had severe personality changes for years after his accident. Sarah Jenkins, his wife, noticed that he acted irrationally and irritably, though no one quite knew what was wrong.

"Everyone's like, 'Oh, he just got back. It's OK,'" she told the Chronicle. "And then it just kept going and going and going, and you know that something's wrong but you just can't put your finger on it."

For eight years after he returned, Jenkins was not aware that his condition was the result of a mortar blast during his tour abroad. In July 2004, a mortar blast went off 30 feet from Jenkins' husband, an event that changed his behavior afterwards. She remembered telling him about a car she purchased shortly after the accident, and how his response was uncharacteristic of his normal behavior. He left several voicemails for her, the last one of which was "not very nice," she said.

Her husband never told her his diagnosis, though he received it three years after the mortar blast. It wasn't until five years later that Jenkins noticed the record and finally understood that the behavioral changes in her husband were not just the result of post-traumatic stress disorder and a part of his transition to life at home. Once the family knew what had happened and how it affected their father, they made changes to their lifestyle in order to lessen the triggers he was experiencing.

Now, in his life after service, Jenkins and his family are living in the quiet countryside. After finding his medical records, his wife started Project DownRange, which she hopes will improve family member's' access to veterans' medical records. She did not blame her husband for concealing his diagnosis, but having an explanation for his behavior earlier on may have eased the tension and confusion that were prompted by his personality changes. She then wrote a story about her experience with TBI for a Facebook support group. Unknowingly, Chicken Soup for the Soul picked up on her story and decided to publish it in a new edition focusing on recovering from TBIs. Sarah and her family's experience will hopefully bring solace to other families who may be experiencing similar personality changes in their loved ones after a trauma abroad.

The U.S. Army recognized Vietnam veteran Patrick A. Tiessonniere June 11, during a historical presentation put on by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Twilight Tattoo. The event took place at Fort Myer in Virginia.

Tiessonniere was a Silver Star medal recipient, which is the nation's third-highest military decoration for valor. The Silver Star can be gained by engaging the enemy and fighting in support of a friendly foreign force. During the Twilight Tattoo, he recounted stories of his deployment for the audience, which was mostly made up of local schoolchildren. In one story, he remembered a time when his commander, Col. John A. Hemphill, came face to face with a member of the Viet Cong.

"[Hemphill] told me his life flashed before him. He thought he was dead. But as he was looking at him, the enemy soldier keeled over. He had been shot," Tiessonniere said, according to the Army News Service . "My platoon saved [Hemphill's] life that day."

During his life after service, Tiessonniere is currently working for the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, at Fort Lesley J. McNair. Tiessonniere has kept his memories alive and is writing a book based on his life during the Vietnam War. 

This week's Twilight Tattoo was dedicated to veterans of the Vietnam War. Tiessonniere was serving as a representative of the Vietnam veterans. The event is a live-action military pageant that seeks to explore military history and highlight those who have served their country. The Twilight Tattoo is a weekly event that runs about an hour and is free to the public. It is held every Wednesday in the summer and begins at 6:45. Some performers involved include The U.S. Army Blues, vocalists from The U.S. Army Band Downrange and U.S. Army Voices, The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and The U.S. Army Drill Team, according to the events website.