A plane crash that occurred on Dec. 8, 2014, took the lives of six people when it struck a home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Within minutes of the incident, first responders were at the scene of the crash to put out the fire and save any survivors they could find.

To honor their courage and commitment to protecting the lives of others, Montgomery County presented the servicemen with an award at Montgomery County's 41st Annual Public Safety Awards.

Quick response earns praise
Montgomery County Police Officer Michael Simpson was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene. He told WUSA9 that as soon as they received the call that a plane had crashed into the house, they sent as many units to the address as fast as they could. He noted that they never had a call like that one before and knew they had to act quickly. 

"I went into the garage, cleared out a way for the fire department who was coming very quickly behind me, kicked out the garage door and had to be turned back by intense smoke and flame," Simpson explained to the news source. 

The combination of the intense fumes and smoke released by the jet fuel and the destruction done to the home made it nearly impossible to do anything until a good number of firefighters had made it to the scene. After an hour, the servicemen had extinguished the fire enough to bring victims who were nearby the house when the aircraft struck to safety. 

A team effort 
The officials who were recognized at the ceremony said that they were honored to receive such an award. However, they remained humble and noted that they were only doing their jobs, wishing that they could have done more. 

Those who were honored included members from Paramedic Engine 728 Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, 6th District Station Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, according to WJLATV. 

"If it wasn't for the quick response of fire and rescue, if it wasn't for all the other units there … we couldn't have gotten there as fast as we did. I just wish we could have done more," Simpson told WJLATV.

Ken Gemmel lost his wife and two young sons as a result of the crash. He issued a statement praising the responders for their bravery and efforts on Friday, according to WUSA9.

"I am pleased that the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce has recognized the great efforts of the various divisions of Montgomery County Pubic Safety made on the day of the tragedy. I have nothing but respect for what they tried to do that day and I am proud of their outstanding efforts especially considering how dire the situation had become for themselves," said Gemmel in the statement.

The recipients of the award said that it was a team effort that required the courage of every servicemember on site that day and stated that they would like to share the award with all of the first responders involved.

Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Medal of Chevalier of the French National Order of the Legion of Honor is France's highest decoration. Over the past several years, the French government has been searching for veterans who fought in France in World War II to award them with the honorable medal. Recently, the government was successful in finding multiple veterans who deserve the honor. 

Oklahoma veterans receive Legion of Honor
According to NewsOK, the French government recently gave this honor to two soldiers from Oklahoma who helped defeat the Germans in WWII nearly 70 years ago. One of those veterans was 89-year-old Preston Johnson, an infantryman who stepped on a land mine during his deployment and lost part of his right leg.

Earl J. Gonzales, 92, was a member of New Orleans' Washington Artillery Regiment that fought in France and Italy during the battles of Salerno and Monte Cassino. 

"Few generations can say that they changed the world. But your generation, Mr. Gonzales, Mr. Johnson, literally changed the world. All of us who have come after owe you an eternal debt of gratitude," said Grant Moak, the honorary French consul who presented the Legion of Honor to the two veterans, according to the news source.

Johnson and Gonzales sat in the front row in a room in the 45th Division Museum where they were awarded the Legion in the company of fellow veterans and supporters.

A humble hero
Another veteran, George Johnson of South Dakota, did not know he would be given such an honor until he received a letter in the mail asking for evidence that he was still alive. Once he sent proof, he was invited to receive the prestigious Legion of Honor medal in April for his sacrifice during battle.

"Rumors were, the Germans were going to surrender. And then all of a sudden early one morning, we were going across the Moselle River just at sunup and we get down there and we didn't even get our little boats in the water. They were in the mountains, the hills on the east side, and – boom boom – they're with their artillery, just got us all. And that's where I got wounded," said Johnson, according to KSYF.com.

Although Johnson severely injured his left leg, he said he never let that get him down and still enjoys his hobbies. At 90 years old, he gives credit for his positive outlook to the people around him that have made his life worth living.

A major step has been taken toward properly honoring military servicemembers who went missing in action or became prisoners of war. U.S. senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio have introduced a bill to the Senate and House that focuses on admiring the incredible sacrifice that these soldiers have made for their country.

Commemorative chair set to honor POW/MIA
The National POW/MIA Remembrance Act will establish a permanent chair on the grounds of the United States Capitol. There are currently 91,662 servicemembers that the commemorative chair will honor. According to eNews Park Forest, the legislation is co-sponsored in the Senate by senators Robert Menendez, Sherrod Brown, Pat Toomey, Jeanne Shaheen, Edward J. Markey and Kelly Ayotte. 

Warren has three brothers who served in the military, noting that she knows firsthand how much the loved ones of military servicemembers have to sacrifice. Just as important as it is to honor those who fought and returned home safely to their families, it is crucial that the country remembers those who were never able to return home. The National POW/MIA Remembrance Act will serve as a reminder of the lives of these men and women. 

More than honor
Lynch noted that the U.S Capitol is one of the most powerful symbols of the country's history and accomplishments. The prisoners of war and those missing in action have served the nation with bravery and honor, leaving no better location to remember them. The chair will serve as a long-lasting reminder to their loved ones and the nation as a whole that we will never take their service for granted. 

"I am proud to support this commemorative act to honor the thousands of POW/MIA servicemembers and their families, all of who have made great sacrifices for the protection and freedom of our nation," Sen. Rubio noted in a written statement, according to eNews Park Forest. "While this can't fully express our gratitude to these brave men and women, this small act will serve as a reminder to everyone who visits the U.S. Capitol to never forget the service and sacrifices of our armed forces and their families."

It is more than just honor and remembrance that we owe MIA and POW servicemembers, but a tremendous debt that we must work to repay every day. 

One of the struggles that military veterans face during life after service is mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder. It is difficult for spouses and children to understand the side effects of such mental disorders.

This is the very problem that Army veteran Seth Kastle faced upon returning home after 16 years of active duty in Qatar, Afghanistan and Iraq. To help his wife and 6-year-old daughter, Raegan, understand what he is going through, he wrote a children's book called "Why is Dad So Mad?" 

No matter what, there is love
Kastle's story explains the anger and memory issues that he experiences due to his PTSD. He told NBC News that he decided to write the book after he searched for resources to assist him in communicating his illness to his family and found very few options available. 

After writing the story, he started a Kickstarter fundraiser to get the book illustrated and published. In just eight hours, the campaign achieved its goal of $3,000, eventually reaching $6,000. He was able to hire illustrator Karissa Gonzalez-Othon and designer Lyndsey Dugan to help him get the book ready for publishing. 

The plot includes a family of lions, whose father is experiencing PTSD. Kastle uses a powerful metaphor to describe how his symptoms feel, in which the father lion has a fire that he cannot control burning in his chest. This made it possible for Raegan to understand that although it may be challenging for her father to show it at times, he always loves her and is happy to be home.

"No matter what, when they're mad or sad at you, they still love you," Raegan told NBC News as she read the book in her playroom. "There's always a fire in his heart, but no matter what, I know there's love."

A powerful resource for military families
PTSD is one of the most common conditions experienced by veterans and can have a major impact on the general well-being of those affected and their families. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs, up to 20 percent of veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD within the first year of returning from deployment in Iraq. Past wars have seen even higher numbers, including the Vietnam War, where 30 percent of active duty members experienced the condition.  

The Huffington Post noted that Kastle wrote the book for his family, but hopes that it will eventually gain enough popularity to help retired military servicemembers across the nation with PTSD explain the condition to their loved ones. 

"I hope that other military families have a chance to sit down and explain to their kids that it's not always going to be easy, but they'll get through it," Kastle explained to NBC News. 

Kastle is currently using the extra funds donated to his first story for a new book that focuses on helping veteran mothers with PTSD. 

After a Connecticut man passed away while trying to clear his roof of snow, brave and helpful first responders finished the job for his family.

According to CBS6, first responders in Manchester, Connecticut, received a call that Miroslaw Dobrowski, a 57-year-old resident attempting to shovel snow from his roof, was having a heart attack. The responders arrived at the scene to find the man unconscious, still on the roof. They immediately started doing CPR on the roof in attempts to save Dobrowski's life. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they were not able to save him and he perished at the hospital, reported the source. 

After witnessing the heartbreaking scene, the first responders knew they wanted to do something to help Dobrowski's family. The Hartford Courant reported that police officers Bernie Hallums, Adam Desso and Tomacz Kaczerski, along with local firefighters and medics, returned to the home later that day and finished shoveling off the roof. 

"He would be very appreciative that someone was looking out for his family. We are all grateful to them," Teresa Dobrowski, Miroslaw's wife, told the Hartford Courant. 

A website was recently launched that reveals the nutritional facts for most MREs, or ready-to-eat military meals. 

The site, named The Combat Rations Database, was implemented by the Defense Department's Human Performance Resource Center, reported Military Times. It contains every piece of information about soldiers' meals, from exact calorie count, to fat content, to cholesterol statistics. Currently, people can search for MRE information dating back to 2012. In the future, the database will include meal trackers and calorie counters for soldiers to input their dietary information and get an idea of how healthy – or unhealthy – their food choices are. 

To show just how thorough the information available to soldiers currently is, Military Times investigated the nutrition facts of the crackers typically included in MREs. They found that these crunchy snacks contain 170 calories, 208 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 3 grams of protein and 0 grams of added sugar. 

Military Times noted that the idea behind the website is to provide servicemembers with all the information they need to make nutritious choices, even with limited options. 

"This new website provides military dietitians with up-to-date, accurate and easily accessible nutrition information on ration components, which is essential when educating warriors on proper fueling during missions," Julie Smith, a senior food technologist at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, in Massachusetts, told Military Times. 

Military chefs and dietitians support the site, the source noted. They acknowledge that while many soldiers know it is important to eat well to stay in top shape, they are not always able to make the best decisions without having complete, transparent dietary information at their disposal. They hope that giving soldiers all the tools they need to make healthy choices will encourage them to do so and improve the health of the armed forces in general. 

The Department of Defense announced Tuesday night that all U.S. troops would soon be pulled from Ebola zones in Liberia. NBC News reported that about half of the forces originally sent to the region have already been taken out. 

According to The New York Times, only 100 of the 3,000 troops who have been sent to Liberia will still be there come April. The source explained that while the deadly disease remains an issue for the area, its spread has slowed down significantly and the situation is no longer officially considered a crisis. While just a few months ago medical workers were handling upwards of 1,000 cases each week, there have only been 12 cases reported in the past three weeks. Originally, public health experts anticipated a death toll of 1 million by the end of January, but domestic and international aid helped keep this rate down to 9,000 casualties. 

The 100 troops who will stay in Liberia will be in charge of running the special medical centers that were constructed by the U.S. They will continue to be available in the event that the disease starts to spread quickly once again. While officials say this scenario is highly unlikely, the troops will also be in charge of teaching Liberian health workers how to use medical testing equipment donated by the U.S. American forces are also helping local authorities track down people who came in contact with Ebola patients in an effort to completely stop the spread of the virus.

NBC noted that upon returning to the U.S., troops will still be subject to a 21-day quarantine period to ensure that they have not been infected with the disease. 

Vietnam's Coast Guard is receiving U.S. aid to help bolster its forces and supplies, reported Thanhnien News. 

According to the source, the American government has already given five patrol vessels to Vietnam. The initiative to assist the nation, a former enemy of the U.S., was originally announced two years ago by Secretary of State John Kerry. In addition to the five boats that have already been provided, the country will invest $18 million into assisting Vietnam. 

Voice of America reported that U.S. assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs, Puneet Talwar, recently visited Hanoi, where he helped facilitate a talk concerning issues surrounding this new transaction. The source explained that one of the driving forces behind sending resources to Vietnam is China, which has been steadily increasing its control over areas of the South China Sea. 

Talwar spoke to VOA, telling the source that his visit to the nation was productive and beneficial. 

"It was really about the growing depth of the partnership and relationship between Vietnam and the United States. We covered a wide range of issues, all the way from maritime security, to peacekeeping, to non-proliferation, to humanitarian issues such as the removal of unexploded ordinance and MIA's. Things of that sort, which really show the breadth of our relationship," he stated.

Construction recently began on what will be the U.S. Coast Guard's seventh national security cutter. 

According to UPI, the vessel is being crafted by Huntington Ingalls Industries. The steel has already been cut at their plant in Mississippi that specializes in shipbuilding, explained the source. The structure, which has been dubbed the Kimball (WMSL 756), will be completed in about three years. 

The Kimball is one of the ships the Coast Guard commissioned to replace Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, the model that had been used by the organization since the 1960s. While the old designs were 378 feet long, the new cutters each boast a length of 418 feet. The Kimball, and others like it, will have a 54-foot beam, a top speed of 28 knots and a range of 12,000 miles. It will be able to hold a crew of 120 servicemembers and will have an endurance of 60 days, according to a press release. 

Security needs are the top priority for these new vessels, explained the release. Each ship will have an aft launch and a "recovery area" that will be able to hold two inflatable boats. Additionally, every cutter will have a flight deck that will support rotary-winged aircraft.  

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recently announced that big revisions will occur concerning military benefits and pay.

A report by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission is set to be released Feb. 1, and is expected to fuel the debate surrounding speculated cuts. The committee behind the report was created in 2013 by Congress and charged with the responsibility of examining what changes could be made to military retirement, health care, benefits and overall pay, reported Military.com. The group has been researching ways to adjust compensation for the past two years, and the results are expected to be somewhat controversial. 

Military Times noted that the report, which will be made public, is expected to contain recommendations to revise the military's long-standing 20-year cliff-vesting retirement pension. Notably, Hagel told sailors in San Diego that people with existing military contracts would most likely be "grandfathered in" to the system, so the updated standard would begin with new recruits. 

The source explained that the anticipated cuts are mostly due to the current military budget, which is essentially flat, compared to the cost of supporting troops on the current pay scale, which is constantly rising. If changes are not made in the realm of salary and benefits, corners would most likely be cut for new weapons and technological research. 

Hagel noted that although the cuts are likely to happen, keeping the troops appropriately supported is still a top priority. 

"In the end, as advanced as our technologies are, as good as they will become, even better, without quality people, it won't matter. … We are going to continue to keep and must prioritize a cycle of bringing good people, the best people, into this business," he told sailors aboard the assault ship America.