On June 6, 28-year-old Chris Ring began a challenging journey. Ring partnered with Legacies Alive, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families of fallen servicemembers and preserving the memory of these individuals' sacrifices, to start Swim for their Sacrifice. Ring is a combat veteran who has been in the Navy for 10 years. His mission is to swim the Mississippi River and along the way meet with Gold Star Families, which are families of soldiers killed in combat. 

Ring started his trek in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, and swims about 16 miles a day. The Navy veteran has lost 20 pounds in just 40 days. But even after a grueling day of swimming, sometimes through rough and rocky waters, Ring meets with families who lost a loved one in service to the country. Those whom he meets sign his guide kayak in show of support. One of the Gold Star Families told USA Today that Ring's mission is very important. It helps remind people of their loved ones' sacrifice – something they think about daily. 

The journey will take Ring almost 2,600 miles, and he hopes to finish sometime in November or December. Not only is Ring's goal incredible for its patriotism, but when he completes the swim, he will become the first person to ever swim the entire length of the Mississippi River. 

After serving two tours in Afghanistan with the British military, Prince Harry was searching for a way to help combat veterans who were injured during their service. In 2014, he came up with the idea to host a sporting event to benefit wounded veterans and their families. The prince called his brainchild The Invictus Games, a name inspired by the poem of William Ernest Henley. The name was meant to convey an "indomitable spirit" in the face of adversity, and the games' slogan, "I am the master of my fate," is a direct line from Henley's poem. The inaugural competition was held in London at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. According to the Invictus Foundation, the 2014 games brought together "over 400 competitors from 13 nations around the world." 

Prince Harry believed that sport and competition would help the wounded servicemembers heal and find purpose in life after service. Recently, the prince proudly announced that the Invictus Games would be returning for a second event. The 2016 games are set to take place May 8-12, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

During World War II, many American soldiers who were prisoners of war in Japan were used for forced labor. According to The Associated Press, more than 12,000 American soldiers were forced to work in 50 different Japanese industries. Major Japanese companies used these POWs as slaves in their mines and industrial plants. AP went on to say that 10 percent of these interned workers died.

James Murphy, a 94-year-old WWII veteran, told AP, "It was slavery in every way: no food, no medicine, no clothing, no sanitation."

The Japanese government officially apologized for those actions and the treatment of U.S. prisoners in both 2009 and 2010, but none of the corporations responsible made the same gesture. It has been about 70 years since World War II, but Mitsubishi Materials Corporation is finally breaking its silence to become the first major Japanese corporation to apologize for using over 900 imprisoned U.S. troops in four mining locations of their predecessor company, Mitsubishi Mining Co. Hikaru Kimura, a senior executive with the corporation, will make the apology in Los Angeles to Murphy and families of other POWs who were forced into labor. Murphy told AP that he held no grudges against his former captors and that he hoped that Mitsubishi's gesture would inspire other corporations to follow suit.

After an improvised explosive device blew off Toran Gaal's legs on June 26, 2011, the former Marine tried to stay positive. The accident sent him through 55 surgeries and cost him some of his memory, but he refused to give up on making a good life after service. Gaal's whole goal was to remember that there is a purpose to every life. That was when he developed a plan to ride across the U.S. on his handcycle. Gaal started his journey in San Diego on June 1. He has crossed most of the country and is currently in Virginia, just a little over 100 miles from his final destination at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.

The total distance of Gaal's trip was 3,800 miles through all types of weather and personal struggle. Despite the challenge of the mission, Gaal never lost heart.

"The only limits in life are the ones we set on ourselves," he said to the Sun Herald. 

During his travels, the veteran is raising money for the Semper Fi Fund, an organization that assists family members of wounded Marines. This was the organization that gave Gaal his first handcycle and started him on the path to healing. When his journey is finished, Gaal hopes to start a career as a professional public speaker. He wants to share his experiences and help others find their own strength. 

It is a widely known fact that life after service can be difficult. This was especially true for Marine Captain C.J. Keller. The New Jersey native returned from Iraq in 2008, but his homecoming was a difficult one. Keller struggled with reentry into civilian life and experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. After realizing that his coping mechanisms were more detrimental than they were helpful, Keller, who is a self-proclaimed gym rat, tried yoga for the first time. The new activity gave the former Marine time to process everything he had been through and reconnect with himself.

"Yoga gives you the tools [to cope]. It empowers you to be present with what is," he told CBS.

After yoga saved his life, Keller decided to share the healing with others. He got his yoga instructor certification and now offers free yoga classes to veterans and their families twice a week. Some of the veterans who have already participated said that Keller's classes were monumental in their healing and reintegration. Instead of charging for his sessions, Keller asks for a donation to Active Heroes, which is a nonprofit organization with the mission to provide PTSD help to veterans and end military suicides.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced on July 7 that it will use data from the VA's Million Veteran Program to look at conditions that are high priorities to the veterans' community: kidney disease, heart disease and substance abuse.

MVP is a VA-funded research program that collects voluntarily donated blood samples and health information from veterans across the country. The goal of the database is to study the way that health is affected by genes. 

According to a press release, in addition to studying the three conditions, researchers will attempt to establish new ways to connect MVP and other sources of health information. 

The research will be divided into four studies: 

1. Cardiovascular risk factors
This study, led by doctors from the Atlanta VA Medical Center and the Boston VA Health Care System, will look at the way that heart health is influenced by the genes that affect obesity and lipid levels. Researchers will specifically try to determine if and how these factors vary among the Hispanic and African-American communities. 

2. Pharmacogenomics of kidney disease
Researchers using the MVP to examine how genetics affect kidney disease will specifically focus on how genetic profiles affect a diabetic patient's response to treatment. The study will also look at the genetics of hypertension, a known risk factor for kidney problems.   

3. Metabolic conditions
The metabolic portion of the research will examine the genetics of diabetes, obesity and abnormal lipid levels, and how they can drive cardiovascular disease. Researchers hope to gain a greater understanding of cardiometabolic disease to develop better treatment strategies. 

4. Multi-use substance abuse
Researchers in this study will look at the genetic profiles of veterans who habitually use tobacco, alcohol and opioids to study risk factors. The team will also look at those who use all three substances together. 

"There's already been an impressive amount of data collected through MVP, and we're continuing to engage more veterans in the program and building its research infrastructure through studies like these," VA Chief Research and Development Officer Dr. Timothy O' Leary said in a statement.

According to Health Data Management, MVP is currently also being used to study post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.  

During World War II, the Women's Auxiliary Corps consisted of over 150,000 American women. According to the U.S. Army Center for Military History, the members in the WAC were the first women included in the uniformed ranks. Alabama native Emma Didlake was one of these brave women. Didlake is now 110 years old, but when she joined the military in 1943, she was only 38. She stated that she was always one to seek out adventure, but Didlake, whose life after service has been a quiet one, had no idea that her decisions were barrier-breaking. Not only was Didlake one of the first women to join uniformed ranks, but she was also one of the first African-American women to do so in a time when society was still segregated by race.

Later this week, Didlake is scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., on an Honor Flight, a special flight for WWII veterans to the nation's capital. When she found out she had been invited to take the Honor Flight, Didlake was beaming from ear to ear, according to her granddaughter. Once in D.C., President Obama plans to welcome Didlake to the White House and thank her for her service to the country. After which, Didlake will have the opportunity to tour the city's monuments and museums. 

Ian Michael returned from his service in the Marine Corps in 2003. Life after service was difficult at first. The 34-year-old veteran experienced post-traumatic stress disorder periodically ever since the end of his service, but Michael recently discovered a path to recovery. In January, when the veteran's PTSD was at its worst, Michael found an online article about the positive psychological effects of a hug. He made the decision to travel across the country with nothing but his dog and a "Free Hugs" sign.

Along his journey, he ran into a former service member friend and together the two started the Human Hug Project. Michael, his friend Gino Greganti and Greganti's wife visit different VA centers across the country and offer hugs to the veterans. The Human Hug Project has visited 15 VA centers so far, but their goal is to travel to at least 150 more. Michael told People magazine that hugs eliminate the feeling of isolation veterans often experience when they return from combat. He hopes the Human Hug Project will help others avoid the period of extended loneliness he went through after service. 

Two days prior to France's Bastille Day, three U.S. veterans received the country's highest honors. On Sunday, July 12, the French Consulate of Boston presented Charles Abdinoor, Mathias Leupold and Edward Soboll, all three of whom fought in World War II and are from the New England area, with the Legion of Honor. FrenchCulture.org stated that this award was introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte and is given to non-French citizens for outstanding service to the country. France considers the "Légion d'Honneur" very prestigious, and it is usually only given to veterans of WWII. However, other American honorees include Barbara Streisand and Elie Wiesel. 

Abdinoor, Leupold and Soboll were part of the campaigns that helped liberate France during the war, and the Consulate said that after 70 years it was time to show gratitude for their service and for their assistance in the liberation of France. In the Wharf Room of the Boston Harbor Hotel where the ceremony took place, the veterans shook hands, took photos and shared stories of their war experiences  and their life after service with the crowd. The Consul General of France in Boston, Fabien Fieschi, said that it was important for France and the U.S. to remember and honor our shared values of independence, freedom and democracy.

Many combat veterans struggle with their return to civilian life after service. In fact, the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that around 11 to 20 percent of veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder. However, former U.S. Marine Tank Commander Sean Gobin may have found a solution. Gobin's own combat experience was difficult, and upon his departure from the military in 2012, he found it hard to process everything he had gone through. In hopes of clearing his head, Gobin and another military friend decided to hike the Appalachian Trail and raise money for disabled veterans along the way.

The pair hiked the 2,168-mile trail for eight hours a day, and Gobin said the challenging experience gave him time to work through his military experience. He decided to share this healing process with other combat veterans when he founded Warrior Hike. The nonprofit supplies returned military personnel with the supplies and equipment needed for hikes ranging from two to six months all across the country. Gobin told CNN that "hiking is like a reset button. It helps you become a civilian again." Thus far, Gobin and his nonprofit have helped over 70 veterans, and it is their hope that these numbers continue to grow.