Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating mental condition that impacts the lives of many retired servicemembers. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11-20 percent of veterans who served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom experience PTSD in a given year. 

The PTSD Foundation of America noted that nearly 40 percent of those affected by the condition do not seek the help they need. Reaching out to the servicemembers in need of assistance with enhanced therapy methods is important to reducing the impact that PTSD has on the veteran population.

New stress reliever for PTSD
ABC 57 News explained that Tammy Stackhouse opened Magical Meadows Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Warsaw, Indiana, to children and adults with special needs seven years ago. She wanted to create a place where people could find themselves through their connection with the horses. 

This year was the first time that the ranch was opened to veterans as a sanctuary where they could leave behind their PTSD symptoms. The horses and the natural beauty of the farm help veterans to enjoy the simple aspects of life in order to fully relax. All retired servicemembers can sign up to use the horses free of charge. 

"[They] have therapy that helps them recover from their visible and invisible battle wounds that they might have suffered while they have served our country," Stackhouse told ABC 57 News.

The ranch plans to hold a Flag Day celebration on June 14 in honor of the country's veterans. 

Vets find companionship in horses
Ted Grubbs, an Army Reserve veteran, has been relying on the horses as therapy. He told ABC 57 News that life after service can be lonely and that the horses have served as companions during difficult times.

"When you get released into civilian world, you lose your battle buddy," he told ABC 57 News. "Your battle buddy is the guy to the left and right of you who you can always count on."

Grubbs was afraid of Sebastian, one of the horses, when he first started the therapy. Riding him made Grubbs extremely uneasy. However, the two are now good friends. 

"He's my bud now, I love him to death," he told the news source.

Sebastian has helped Grubbs overcome the negative effects that the war had on him, providing him with a chance to relax and think about other things, a task that can be challenging after returning to civilian life.

Homelessness is a major problem that military veterans often face during life after service. In fact, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that 49,933 veterans are homeless in the U.S. on any given night. 

Most of these retired servicemembers do not receive the support they need to overcome homelessness, as Veterans Affairs can only manage to take care of approximately 150,000 of these veterans a year. To change this, three Cabinet members visited Tucson, Arizona, to establish strategies to end homelessness for military veterans. 

Cabinet members work to end veteran homelessness 
According to the Tucson Sentinel, the secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Labor, Robert McDonald, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez, traveled to Tucson to meet with local veterans who had been homeless upon returning from service. Tucson in particular has had a lot of success with fighting the issues of veteran homelessness. 

The three Cabinet members also connected with Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. The group discussed the importance of serving military veterans who have spent years sacrificing their lives to serve their country. 

"By adopting policies like Housing First, by championing the kind of collaboration that this employment center is right at the heart of, they are making the end of veteran homelessness something that is within reach," Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro told Tucson News Now.

At the Pima County Employment Center, the secretaries heard from local veterans who discussed some of the most significant challenges after deployment, some of which were the greatest obstacles they have ever had to face in their lives. However, many have gone on to become college graduates and start full-time jobs, thanks to the support of their city. 

What are the biggest obstacles?
To help retired servicemembers begin making money, the first step is preparing them for the job hunting process. Art Burrola, the program coordinator at Kino Veteran's Work Center, explained to Tucson News Now that job training and placement is the biggest obstacle the center faces. 

The Kino Veteran's Work Center's large funding program, which the city relied on to help find veterans jobs, dried up a few months ago, making the process even more challenging. The program was responsible for providing around $8 million for local employment and training. 

Success stories
Tucson News Now noted that Brenda Hunter was one of the many veterans who benefited from the program's funding. She was in the Marine Corps for over four years. While serving, her home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. She found herself in Tucson, where she remained homeless until she located the veteran services program at Kino. 

"I graduated from Pima recently with an associate degree in science in computer network. Without these services, I probably would have ended up dead," she said.

Another success story is Cliff Wade, who ended up spending time in prison after retirement, according to the news source. However, the program saved him, pushing him to get an education and join the fight to help his fellow homeless veterans with Old Pueblo Community Services. Although there are plenty of people working to improve the lives for homeless veterans, Wade pointed out that it is still a work in progress.

"It's not an overnight fix, we don't have enough housing, of course we can work to get more. Funding is key, case management is key. Homeless into housing, majority can't do it without case management," Wade explained to Tucson News Now.

After hearing these stories, the secretaries traveled to Las Vegas to continue their quest to learn more about the issue of veteran homelessness and how to solve it. 

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. 

Army Pvt. Henry Johnson and Army Sgt. William Shemin may be gone, but their service to this country is not forgotten. 

On June 2, President Obama awarded the two men the Medal of Honor posthumously for their heroic actions during World War I.  

According to the LA Times, Johnson served in the 369th Infantry Regiment, an all-black unit, where he was lauded for his bravery when he prevented German soldiers from capturing himself and an injured companion during a nighttime attack. This included engaging in hand-to-hand combat after his gun jammed. He was honored by the French government, but was not recognized at home. 

Shemin was a rifleman in Company G, 47th Infantry Regiment, who exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in France to rescue wounded soldiers, and then took command of his platoon when the commanding officers were killed, the White House reported. The award was accepted by his daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth.

"It has taken a long time for Henry Johnson and William Shemin to receive the recognition they deserve, and there are surely others whose heroism is still unacknowledged and uncelebrated," Obama said at the ceremony. "So we have work to do, as a nation, to make sure all our heroes' stories are told."

The Medal of Honor is awarded to military members who go above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action, displaying conduct that involves great self-sacrifice or personal bravery while risking their life. The White House reported that there must be incontestable proof to these merit-worthy actions. 

While the White House did not give a reason for the delay in awarding the Medals of Honor, Newsweek reported that many believe it to be the result of racism, as Johnson was black and Shemin was Jewish. 

In his speech, President Obama stated that awarding these men righted a great wrong. 

Even the Army gets a fashion reboot every once in awhile. But in the case of the new camo rolling out for soldiers, the focus is safety, not style. 

Beginning on July 1, soldier uniforms in the Operational Camouflage Pattern will be available for purchase at select military clothing stores, the U.S. Army reported.

New soldiers will receive army combat uniforms in the pattern beginning in January 2016. During the summer of 2016, equipment and uniforms in the pattern will become available to members of the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. National Guard and Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Enlisted soldiers receive an annual clothing stipend that can be used to buy pieces in the new pattern. 

"I myself will wait until I am issued my clothing allowance before purchasing a uniform with the Operational Camouflage Pattern," said Army Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Dailey. "I encourage all soldiers and leaders to do the same by budgeting for a new uniform, belt, boots, and T-shirts as you receive your clothing allowance over the next 2-3 years."

The Army reported that the new pattern was selected after the most comprehensive uniform testing the military branch has ever performed.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno told Army Times that the testing revealed that the pattern of the uniform is very important in protecting soldiers in a variety of environments.

Army Times reported that the Operational Camouflage Pattern will replace the Universal Camouflage Pattern, a green and gray pattern that proved to be unpopular. The new uniforms will be similar to the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage that has been worn in Afghanistan over the last five years. 

When "Good Kill" premiered in May, the film offered moviegoers a glimpse into the life of an Air Force drone pilot. The movie received relatively positive feedback from critics, and The Washington Post reported that it helps civilians to better understand what sacrifice and service look like in modern combat.  

The whole story
With such portrayals in popular culture on the rise, the U.S. Air Force released a statement on May 15 to dispel common misconceptions that the public has about remotely piloted aircrafts. The statement examined six primary myths:

1. Remotely piloted aircrafts are less safe than manned aircrafts.
2. Combatant commanders are not requesting RPA capability.
3. Federal Aviation Administration requirements do not apply to RPAs.
4. Only a pilot and sensor operator are required to complete an RPA mission.
5. RPAs are only used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
6. An RPA mission is like a video game. 

According to the Air Force, every RPA mission involves a pilot and crew who control the aircraft, and each combat air patrol is supported by nearly 200 people in various capacities. Contrary to popular belief, the safety rates are in fact comparable to those of a manned aircraft, and they are currently the top capability requested by combat commanders around the world.

The Air Force reported that RPAs are currently being used to support combat search and rescue, strike coordination, closer air support and other tasks in addition to ISR and other mission sets. 

For video game enthusiasts, the Air Force emphasized that controlling a remotely piloted aircraft is not a game. New pilots, many of whom have already undergone training for flying manned aircrafts, go through an intense, year-long training program to learn how to operate RPAs. It is not as simple as picking up a controller. 

Playing an active role
The Air Force wants the public to know the real stories of the men and women who operate RPAs, a picture that is not always accurately portrayed in popular culture. 

"We've been quiet about it for years, and there were good reasons for that, there were some direct concerns," Col. Jim Cluff told Military Times. "Now we've undertaken a very deliberate process to tell the story while at the same time making sure we are protecting our airmen. Our concern is just that we didn't talk a lot about what the community does and how they do that, and left it to others to figure it out."

Feeding cows may not be a typical duty of a National Guard member, but it was all in a day's work for the Oklahoma National Guard after heavy rains stranded a rancher's animals in Muskogee County.

According to The Associated Press, rancher Robert Vinson moved his cattle to higher ground when a weekend forecast predicted rain, leaving enough food to feed the animals for a few days. But when the rain was so extreme that the roads remained flooded days later, Vinson had no way to feed his cows. 

That's where the National Guard came in.

Vinson first contacted the fire department, and the request was sent higher and higher up the chain until it reached the Oklahoma National Guard's Joint Operations Center, the National Guard reported. The mission was approved, and on May 27 a helicopter of guardsmen was sent to Muskogee County where it transported enough hay and dry feed to last the cows a week. 

"This [mission] is different than what we normally do, but I really enjoy helping people here at home," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael McGill, the commander of the mission's aircraft. 

Despite their heroic actions and sacrifices, veterans across the U.S. are still in need of care and service on the home front. A new campaign this summer seeks to remind the U.S. that volunteering with veteran associations is a great way to thank former members of the military for their service.  

On May 26, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a nationwide initiative aimed at increasing the number of volunteers assisting veterans. Titled "Summer of Service," the campaign seeks to remind citizens of the country's duty to its former military members, the VA reported. 

"We are asking Americans everywhere to join the Summer of Service and help us give back to those who have given so much to our nation, " said Robert A. McDonald, the secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

According to a blog by the VA, the goal of the initiative is 100,000 volunteers by August. Volunteers can sign up with their local veteran organizations, or on the VA's website. 

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced on May 24 that the Navy's SSN 796, a Virginia-class attack submarine, will bear the title USS New Jersey. According to the Department of Defense, the name will honor the long history between the Navy and the state of New Jersey.

"New Jersey's relationship with our Navy has been defined by innovation, leadership, and courage – in conquest and in combat," Mabus said. "The name of our newest nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine will carry on that strong tradition."

New Jersey's ties to the Navy began in 1900 when the Navy's first submarine, the USS Holland, was designed and constructed in the state, the Department of Defense reported. 

The submarine will be the third vessel to bear the name USS New Jersey, but the only one that is still active. The first two were battleships commissioned in the first half of the 20th century. 

During a radio segment on New Jersey 101.5, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stated that he would "absolutely" push for the commissioning of the new sub to occur in its namesake state.

"From my perspective, having that submarine commissioned in the waters of the state that it is named for would be a great thing," Christie said. 

According to the Department of Defense, the USS New Jersey will be a next-generation attack submarine. Each Virginia-class submarine is designed with a reactor plant that allows the sub to complete its planned lifetime without refueling. They are 377 feet long, weigh 7,800 tons and have increased stealth and accuracy.     

Boston locals and visitors alike may notice that the harbor is a little emptier than usual this month. For the first time in two decades, the USS Constitution left the water to undergo restoration at a dry dock of the Charlestown Navy Yard. 

Restoring Old Ironsides
Fondly known by its nickname, "Old Ironsides," the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy. According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the ship first came to fame during the War of 1812, when it helped the young nation become recognized as a world-class maritime power. 

Of the original six frigates commissioned by Congress for the U.S. Navy, it is the only one that still remains. Manned by active-duty officers and crew, today the mission of the USS Constitution is to educate the public about the Navy and its role in the U.S. 

Usually found afloat at Pier 1 of the Charlestown Navy Yard, the ship will be dry docked for about three years during the course of the restoration project. The transition occurred during the night of May 18, when the Constitution was safely transitioned from the water of the harbor to the dry dock. The project is part of regular maintenance done to maintain the ship. 

"There's been no damage to the ship," Navy Commander Paul J. Brawley told The Boston Globe. "This is done every 15 to 20 years."

According to The Boston Globe, the main focus of the restoration is to replace 3,400 copper sheets on the hull. The metal layers protect the ship's hull below the waterline. The sheets are currently being stored at the USS Constitution Museum, where visitors can sign the pieces with permanent markers, Brawley told the Globe. 

Continuing the legacy
Tourists to Boston who want to see Old Ironsides will not be disappointed. Despite the renovations, visitors can tour the ship Tuesday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All Hands, the magazine of the U.S. Navy, reported. 

The USS Constitution will be docked in Dry Dock 1 in the Charlestown Navy Yard until the restoration is complete, likely in the fall of 2017.