Among the most ambitious initiatives launched by the Department of Veterans affairs in recent years is the commitment to end homelessness among veterans by 2015. The VA has made considerable progress as of late, but the most recent figures put about 62,000 vets still living on the streets. In an effort to reach its goal, the VA recently awarded $300 million in grants to hundreds of community agencies around the country – triple last year's spending, Stars and Stripes reports.

Success so far
The grants are provided as part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families, and have largely been successful since the initiative began. After the first year of grants were awarded, officials found that about 86 percent of beneficiaries remained in some form of permanent housing. Experts anticipate that approximately 120,000 veterans and their families stand to gain from this most recent batch of grants. One of the biggest focuses of the SSVF is to help equip servicemembers with the tools to avoid becoming homeless in the first place.

"If you want to end homelessness, you have to rescue those on the streets," Vincent Kane, acting executive director of the VA's homeless initiative, told Stars and Stripes. "But you also need to have a strategy to help those who could end up in trouble, before they end up homeless."

Combined effort
The VA is not the only government body playing a role in ending veteran homelessness. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is also involved in the process, and together the two departments operate a program known as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing. Specifically, the initiative draws from the rental assistance offered by HUD and pairs it with the case services offered by the VA. VASH can pay up to 70 percent of a veteran's rent while also helping vets get their lives back on track. Such was the case for Illinois resident James Usher, a former Marine who teamed up with the program several years ago.

"When I got into HUD-VASH in March 2008, it changed my life," Usher, 60, told the Lake Country News-Sun. "I got clean and sober. I adjusted to a clean environment and clean people who were sober."

Veterans often have a wide variety of benefits available to them upon separating from service, but all too often they may not realize exactly what they're entitled to. This can be a significant source of frustration, so one servicemember took it upon himself to help make the process a bit easier. Wolfgang Ward created a website and corresponding app, the Benefits Report Corporation, which offers vets a personalized look at their benefits, according to The Monterey Country Herald.

The app requires very little work on the part of users. When veterans first download it, they have to fill out a short survey about their military history, and then the app provides them with a list of the benefits and services they're entitled to. These benefits can include well-known programs such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill as well as discounts at local business and corporations. Ward says it's important for vets to be familiar with their benefits before they disappear. 

"There are tons of services out there," Ward told the newspaper. "If you don't utilize these services, they'll eventually go away because the government will quit funding them. The government is starting to check their pocketbook."

Ward's new app isn't the only piece of technology designed to help veterans. For instance, in 2011 the Department of Veterans Affairs released the PTSD Coach app, which is designed to help servicemembers managing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Thanks to initiatives led by both the public and private sectors, the job market for veterans has steadily improved in recent months. Yet, while the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans has fallen below the national average, experts say there is still some work to be done. As thousands of troops prepare to return home from Afghanistan over the next 18 months, it's important that lawmakers do not get complacent, veterans advocates say, according to Military Times.

According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the June unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans was at 7.2 percent. An encouraging figure to be sure, but it does not tell the whole story. Specifically, for servicemembers under the age of 24, the rate was nearly triple that – 20.5 percent. The unemployment rate among National Guard and Reserve members was also considerably higher than the rest of the military population.

"This indicates persistent gaps for members of the Guard and reserve in military skill transferability and civilian skill attainment," Ryan Gallucci of Veterans of Foreign Wars told the news source.

While it may be difficult for servicemembers to translate their skills to the civilian realm, some changes have been made to close this gap. One such program was launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Known as the Personal Branding Resume Engine, the website helps veterans sell their military skills to potential employers. 

Many wounded warriors find it difficult to return to their previous levels of activity, and this can be especially challenging for servicemember​s who were used to spending time outdoors before their injury. One base in particular has taken steps to help them out. Alabama's Fort Rucker recently added a new boat to its ranks dubbed The Warrior, which is specially designed to help bring wounded troops out on the water, reports the Army Flier.

Officials at the installation made the decision to purchase the boat after hearing how wounded troops wanted more opportunities for outdoor recreation. The boat includes a number of features that make it easy for injured soldiers to get on and off, such as a wheelchair ramp and locking system. It also features specialized controls and a remote controlled anchor. Wounded warriors can use the boat for everything from a day on the water with the family to water sports such as tubing. Organizers hope the purchase will encourage others to follow suit.

"I just hope these recreational enhancements will bring the local communities closer together to support the wounded warriors and their families," John Clancy, the manager of Fort Rucker's Outdoor Recreation program, told the news source.

Clancy raises an important point given the number of injured servicemembers. According to Department of Defense statistics, more than 50,000 troops have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The Pentagon and White House has proposed a number of changes that could impact the financial future of military families, but one of the most controversial was an increase to retail pharmacy co-pays and fees for TRICARE beneficiaries, mostly retirees. The suggestion had been met with significant resistance, and Congress took a significant step forward in making sure the fee increase are not implemented, according to Military Times. 

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee rejected all of the proposals included in the 2014 defense authorization bill that would have made changes such as increased enrollment fees and steeper pharmacy co-pays. The vote comes after the House took the same action and, as a result, the Pentagon will be limited to increasing fees only at the level of current cost of living adjustments. So servicemembers will see no increases higher than 1.7 percent starting Oct. 1. Still, lawmakers admit some changes need to be made.

"TRICARE is, quite frankly, unsustainable without reform," Sen. Lindsey Graham said last month. "We haven't increased premiums since 1995 but once, and it's really pitting the military between health care benefits for retirees and funding the force."

Increasing fees on working-age retirees could help the Pentagon save a considerable amount of money. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Department of Defense could save billions, according to Navy Times.

Transitioning from active duty service to civilian life can be a challenge for a number of different reasons. Problems finding a job, family stress or difficulty adjusting to a new lifestyle can often play a significant role. Additionally, managing the effects of physical and emotional wounds can make it especially hard. Veterans may sometimes feel like nobody can relate to their struggles, but a new smartphone app may change that. Known as POS REP – short for position report – the app lets veterans locate servicemembers in their area that can help them out, according to Stars and Stripes.

Personal beginnings
The app was developed by Jacob Wood, who got the idea after his friend and fellow Marine veteran took his own life after returning home from the combat zone. The two had been close while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, but when they returned home they lost touch. After his friend's death, Wood learned that Marines lived nearby but he was not aware of it, so he could have had someone to reach out to. Now, vets in trouble can send an alert to fellow troops in the area when they need someone to talk to. The app's creators believe it has considerable potential at changing how post-traumatic stress disorder is treated.

"This tool is really going to be a game-changer," Army veteran Anthony Allman, who helped get POS REP off the ground, told the publication "I hope [the app] has an impact [on the issue of suicides], at least by showing veterans they're not alone. There is a community around them."

Apps could be a game changer
POS REP is just one of a growing number of smartphone and tablet apps that could significant help veterans transition to civilian life. Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched an app of its own – PTSD Coach – that helps troops track their symptoms, locate sources of support and offers suggestions for how to mitigate the symptoms. Such services are especially important now as an estimated one in five veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan show signs of PTSD.

There are also apps not aimed at helping treat mental wounds of war. Apps such as College Guide can help veterans put their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to good use by locating the schools that are best suited for them.

The Freedom Bike Ride has become one of the most unique ways for civilians, servicemembers and veterans to honor fallen troops, and the third annual event recently kicked off at one of the most solemn areas in the U.S. About 25 cyclists began their five-day journey June 25 at Arlington National Cemetery. The ride is expected to be completed in Lewisburg, Pa., where the participants will arrive just in time for the town's Fourth of July celebration.

A new tradition
This is just the third year the Freedom Bike Ride has been held, but it is already recognized as a considerable success. Some of the participants are wounded warriors who must use hand cycles to complete the journey, while others took a more traditional route. Regardless of their mode of transportation, all riders have one thing in mind – honoring servicemembers both past and present. This is reflected in some of the landmarks they've visited in previous rides including last year, when they started their trip at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

"This year, we picked a starting location that I consider to be the most hallowed ground in the United States," Sgt. Maj. Kevin Bittenbender said in a press release. "And that's Arlington National Cemetery."

Troops honored many different ways
Lengthy journeys have become a popular way to pay tribute to the men and women of the military, and cycling seems like a smart choice given it's one that appeals to injured troops. So it should come as no surprise that the The Wounded Warrior Soldier Ride has been a big hit. This program focuses on the rehabilitation of wounded servicemembers by outfitting them with adaptive bikes and taking them on two days of rides. For Therese Mangham, who was injured in Iraq in 2008, it was a big help.

"It was very difficult," Mangham, told CBS affiliate KDKA. "I wasn't getting a lot of support through the VA, and the Wounded Warrior Project, they came in and filled in the gaps where the VA wasn't."

Any events that help recognize the sacrifice of wounded warriors are certainly a worthwhile cause. According to statistics from the Department of Defense, more than 50,000 troops have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Although many veterans choose to use their GI Bill benefits for themselves, others decide to transfer them to their family members. However, those who plan on taking this route will soon see changes in the military's policy. Starting August 1, servicemembers who plan on transferring their GI Bill benefits will have to serve an additional four years, even if they are closely approaching retirement, according to Stars and Stripes.

Most servicemembers have had to adhere to this rule since 2009, when they first became able to transfer their benefits. However, for the last four years troops nearing retirement were exempt from the four-year stipulation. In fact, some did not have to serve any additional time depending on how close they were to leaving the Armed Forces. That exemption is over at the end of July, officials say.

"It's across the board," Keith Davis, chief of education and training at the Ramstein education office, told the news source. "Effective Aug. 1, all members of the military, regardless of branch, will be required to serve a four-year active-duty service commitment at the time they elect to transfer benefits to a family member."

The Post-9/11 GI Bill has been a popular benefit among servicemembers and their families. According to statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 646,000 people made use of the benefits in 2012. 

Communities around the U.S. recognized June 22 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Day, but one of the most important observances was on the steps in front of the Capitol Building. Mental health advocates and veterans gathered to speak about the challenges associated with treating PTSD and traumatic brain injury in the military community, and while there are still obstacles to overcome, the Army is leading the charge with a multi-million dollar effort, according to Army News Service.

Collaborative effort
Although the Army is leading the way when it comes to studying PTSD and TBI, it is not alone. The branch is also taking part in a $60 million research study along with the National Football League, General Electric and Under Armour. The project comes is in addition to an executive order from the White House that diverted about $700 million to help the Department of Veterans Affairs work with other agencies to tackle the issue of PTSD and TBI. For Iraq veteran Brig. Gen. John M. Cho, who spoke at the Capitol over the weekend, such a broad approach is a good sign.

"The invisible wounds – post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury – are just as damaging as the visible ones," he told the gathered crowd. "They impact the families as well as the soldiers." He added that such initiatives can help remove the stigma often attached to the conditions. 

Far reaching impact
As Cho hinted, the effects of PTSD are often felt by more than just soldiers. Families can be touched by the condition, and that is especially true when it comes to the youngest members of the military community. According to the VA, there are several different ways children of parents with PTSD might respond. For one, they may echo symptoms similar to the ones present in their parent, but they may also exhibit behaviors ranging from problems at school to depression.

Although it remains to be seen whether the Army's collaborative effort pays off, it's certainly a step in the right direction. According to the American Psychological Association, an estimated 20 percent of veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have symptoms of PTSD. That accounts for about 300,000 vets, and with the number of returning service members expected to grow in the coming years the need for attention is especially great. 

The lengthy claims backlog is arguably the biggest problem facing the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under pressure from Congress, the White House and veterans advocates, the department has taken significant steps to cut into the significant delays facing veterans looking for help with disabilities. There's still a long way to go, but the VA recently announced that it has made considerable progress. Officials say they have cleared 97 percent of claims that were at least two years old, Military Times reports.

A small step forward
VA officials cleared about 67,000 claims from the backlog, but there are many more veterans awaiting attention. An estimated 192,000 claims have been pending for between one and two years, and the VA maintains that it will address those next. The push is part of an ongoing initiative by the VA to ensure that all benefits claims are processed within 125 days by 2015. An ambitious goal to be sure, but likely a necessary one given the number of troops expected to separate from service in the coming years. 

"We have made great progress, but know much work remains to be done to eliminate the backlog," said VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.

A variety of causes
Before the latest push for the backlog's elimination, there were approximately 900,000 claims waiting to be processed, and there were a number of factors coming together that caused the inflation. One of the biggest reasons was the influx of veterans filing claims for post-traumatic stress disorder and the increasing number of claims related to Agent Orange after the VA changed its regulations in 2010. Analysts say that a high error rate may be causing the backlog due to lengthy appeals, according to U.S. Medicine.

Electronic records a must
Aside from an influx of veterans applying for benefits, the VA has also run into problems due to its outdated record keeping. The VA and Department of Defense kept entirely different records, so when troops left the service it was not always easy to transfer medical information between the two departments. However, work on a joint electronic records keeping system could better improve this transition and result in improved care and a shorter wait for troops, according to FCW.