With upwards of 1 million soldiers separating from service in the coming years, the civilian community will likely have to adapt in a wide variety of ways. This is especially true on college campuses where many servicemembers are expected to take advantage of their education benefits and pursue new degrees, certification or licenses. Dr. Jill Biden, who spearheads the Joining Forces initiative with first lady Michelle Obama, recently paid a visit to George Washington University to see how its officials are preparing for the expected influx of veterans.

One of the biggest programs on campus geared toward helping out servicemembers is led by the student group GW Vets. Biden also met with representatives from The Rendering Project, which relies on the experiences of veteran students to create works of art. After discussing such initiatives with students, Biden says she feels encouraged that schools around the country can do the same.

"As a teacher for more than 30 years, I always say that what I see in my classroom is inspiring," she wrote on the White House's website. "Many of my students are veterans who are hoping additional education will help move them ahead in their careers."

Making it easier for veterans to enter the classroom may help lower the unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans, which currently stands a bit higher than the civilian population. 

The March employment report came out on Friday, and while the economy added fewer jobs than expected, the news was much better for post-9/11 veterans. Statistics from the Department of Labor revealed that the unemployment rate for soldiers who have joined the military after September 11 dropped to 9.2 percent, down slightly from 9.4 percent.

The improvement marks a continuing trend of slight improvement that indicates the many initiatives aimed at veterans' employment are paying dividends. Many of the programs have been aimed at helping soldiers transfer skills they learned in the Armed Forces to jobs in the civilian world. Many of these are common sense moves, such as making it easier for troops to earn certification for jobs they are well qualified to do.

"It's hard for me to believe that a guy can drive a truck in combat but he can't drive one on the highways. I mean, what the hell is that all about?" John E. Hamilton, commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, told NBC News recently. "You've got a [medical] corpsman out there in field with Marines doing everything short of open-heart surgery but he can't be an EMT when he gets home."

While the unemployment rate is improving, lawmakers recognize their work is not done. In fact, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee plans on reviewing all the proposed legislation next week, Military Times reports. 

With the war in Iraq over and the conflict in Afghanistan winding down, the government is tasked with providing healthcare to the more than 2 million soldiers who have served overseas in the last 12 years. New research from scientists at the Institute of Medicine suggests that federal officials are doing a poor job of keeping up with the demand for medical issues and health ailments caused by the wars, USA Today reports.

The expansive study, conducted over four years, highlights the fact that the United States has never had to respond to these challenges before because of the unique nature of the wars. Specifically, things like multiple deployments, with short time between each one, as well as the high number of reservists and National Guardsmen who served have caused unforeseen obstacles. Despite the best efforts of military officials, more needs to be done, experts say.

"These are extraordinary challenges," Dr. George Rutherford, who chaired the group that produced the report, told the publication. "We are learning as we're going. I think the VA and [Defense Department] have really exerted extraordinary efforts to try and get it right … but there are some areas that need to be improved."

Part of the problem has to do with the fact that the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) often have trouble communicating. This is particularly evident when it comes to medical records. The two departments have separate programs designed to store their records, which causes difficulty when soldiers transfer from active duty to life as veterans. This could be partly to blame for the estimated 900,000 person backlog in VA benefits claims.

Four years ago, President Barack Obama vowed to oversee the creation of one all-encompassing place for medical records to be shared by the VA and the DOD. So far, that has yet to be fully realized. Earlier this year, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki seemed to back away from plans for one shared system and instead cited plans to focus on making it easier to transfer records from one department to the other, Stars and Stripes reports.

Most veteran advocates agree that addressing unemployment is a significant issue, but a new report found that there was progress made in the last year. Findings from the Department of Labor reveal that unemployment among soldiers who have served after the September 11 attacks fell from 12.1 percent in 2011 to 9.9 percent at the end of 2012, The Associated Press reports.

While the findings are certainly encouraging, the DOL still stresses that there is work to be done, especially in the face of looming budget cuts. Federal, state and local governments will likely feel the effects of sequestration, which could result in reductions to their workforce, and given that an estimated one-third of veterans work in the public sector, this could have a significant impact.

Still, with Congress passing a host of laws, including one that offers tax credits to businesses that hire veterans, there are reasons to be optimistic. Furthermore, the military is now required to provide transition assistance training to troops leaving the service so that they are better equipped to find job once they enter civilian life, the AP reports.

The findings, which were culled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, also included a number of other encouraging facts. For instance, among veterans of all generations, unemployment dropped to 6.9 percent in 2012, which is lower than the general population.

Though the financial future of the military has attracted a great deal of attention in recent months, the growing mental health crisis plaguing veterans and active duty servicemembers is causing a much greater strain on the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) has placed a heavy emphasis on suicide prevention over the last several years, but despite the significant efforts, the issue is still one of the most pervasive in the military community, The Arizona Republic reports.

Congress, White House have taken action
Over the last several years, suicide prevention has been a priority for lawmakers in Washington, D.C. For instance, in 2007 Congress passed the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act, which was designed to reduce the stigma sometimes attached to seeking out mental health counseling. Around the same time, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), created a hotline dedicated to helping out veterans in crisis. In fact, last year President Barack Obama ordered the staffing at the hotline to increase by 50 percent. During the last five-plus years it has handled an estimated 740,000 calls. 

Wounds often not visible
Experts say that one of the biggest reasons veterans may be hesitant to seek help for their mental wounds is because tens of thousands of soldiers have come home with visible injuries, so they feel as though they are not entitled to seek treatment for matters of the mind. However, with an estimated 20 percent of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD) it's important they start to view non-visible wounds as valid, experts say. 

"A lot of them view that because they didn't come back with an amputation, they don't think they deserve help," Danny Guckenburg, a counselor at the Phoenix Vet Center, told the newspaper. "There is a need to validate that their wounds are just as important. This is the place they can open up about the pain they are experiencing. They can get a sense of hope that is missing."

New resources available
Earlier this month, the Army officially launched its website for the Ready and Resilient Campaign, which provides soldiers with many helpful resources, especially when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention. In particular, it offers a long list of numbers – including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – as well as links to the military health system's website and the Army's suicide prevention literature. 

The War in Afghanistan has been ongoing for more than 11 years, and during that time around 2,200 servicemembers have lost their lives in combat. In an effort to pay tribute to the fallen troops, a former sailor who was deployed in Afghanistan recently completed an impressive undertaking. Earlier this year, Ron White constructed a temporary wall and wrote the name of every servicemember killed in action on it – all from memory, Military Times reports.

White started the process in May 2012 when he began to commit the names of every soldier to memory. In February, he began the painstaking process of constructing the wall and writing all the names, a task which took him an estimated 11 hours. The unique tribute garnered attention from families of servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan and many people stopped by to witness the progress. It certainly was not an easy task.

"It was emotionally draining, physically and mentally," White told Military Times.

White expects to repeat the tribute several times in the future at other places throughout the country. While he is working on that, however, there are numerous other tributes going on dedicated to soldiers. For instance, the Big Ten Conference recently honored wounded warriors during each day of the Big Ten Conference Championship.

Helping soldiers find civilian jobs once they separate from service is not only a priority for the Pentagon, private organizations have also been helping out. One of the most substantial efforts, known as Get Skills to Work, is led by big-name companies such as General Electric, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and is aimed at providing servicemembers with the tools necessary to find employment after leaving the Armed Forces, reports The Cincinnati Enquirer. 

A search for meaning
One of the biggest challenges troops face when they search for jobs upon returning home from the battlefield is the stark contrast in lifestyles. While active duty soldiers have a structured life in the service and often have tasks that give their job meaning, it can be difficult to find that on the home front. Such was the case for James Giuffre, who felt that any job he could land once he returned stateside did not provide the same level of satisfaction as his time in the military. However, after graduating from a program offered by Get Skills to Work at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, he may have the opportunity to find more fulfilling work. 

"The problem we have today is many of our vets were overseeing millions of dollars in equipment and supervising hundreds of people, and now they can't find jobs," said Darrell Smith, manager of veteran student affairs at the school, told the newspaper. 

How does the program help?
Get Skills to Work does more than provide its veteran students with ability to succeed in advanced manufacturing positions, it also helps them work toward finding a job. Students who graduate from the program are given job counseling meant to help their professional careers in the industry. Manufacturing is certainly a good place to look – the organization says there are an estimated 600,000 positions available. The organization hopes to help 100,000 veterans find jobs by 2015.

Just one of many resources
The organization is one of many tools post-9/11 veterans can use if they're looking for employment. For instance, the Department of Labor operates its Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), which offers everything from information on available to programs to expert advice on finding jobs. Separating servicemembers may also want to head to AFBA's Career Center, which pairs them up with employers looking to hire vets.

Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have found many different ways to cope with the emotional and physical wounds sustained during deployment, but few have taken it to the lengths that one Indiana veteran did. Efrain Fuentes recently participated in an impressive 384-mile bike ride from New Orleans to Tennessee, a decision he credits with helping him navigate the transition to civilian life, The Herald-Times reports.

The experience was organized by Ride2Recovery, a non-profit that is dedicated to helping ease veterans' pain once they return from war. This was certainly a steep challenge for Fuentes, who was suffering from a back injury as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still, he managed to make it through the grueling training and difficult ride thanks to the support of his fellow veterans and spectators along the route.

"It was beautiful," he told the newspaper. "It really lifted our spirits and touched us, especially seeing the schoolchildren out there."

Ride2Recovery was established by the Fitness Challenge Foundation and regularly hosts events around the country dedicated to helping wounded warriors. Most rides cover anywhere from 350 to 450 miles and welcome hundreds of veterans to participate. In 2011, the organization hosted 32 rides.  

It's important for the civilian population to know the challenges servicemembers, veterans and their families face on a daily basis, and Goodwill Industries recently teamed up with StoryCorps to help make sure that happens. The two organizations have partnered together to record stories as part of the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative, which aims to record the experiences of 700 post-9/11 veterans, servicemembers and their loved ones.

The program is slated to kick off in Houston on March 14 and 15, when 12 veterans will share their stories. The interviews will be conducted by a friend or family member and will seek to uncover what challenges each participant faced when he or she transitioned back to civilian life. StoryCorps officials say the initiative may not only be therapeutic for each servicemember, but will also help highlight the often difficult road they travel so others can learn about their experiences. 

"The Military Voices Initiative will not only provide military families with a national platform to share their stories of service in their own voices, but will also enable civilians to understand more clearly the complex challenges of their bravery and sacrifice," said StoryCorps' president Dave Isay.

Programs such as the StoryCorps Military Voice Initiative are especially important now as the war in Afghanistan draws to a close. Around 34,000 troops will return home by the end of 2013, with the remaining forces expected home by the end of 2014.

The unemployment report for February was released Friday, and while the results were encouraging for the civilian population, the news was even better for the country's youngest veterans. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans dropped more than two points to 9.4 percent, an indication that the many initiatives aimed at helping servicemembers find jobs are paying off.

The report
The monthly report signals another step forward on the road to economic recovery. Overall, the unemployment rate in the United States dropped from 7.8 percent to 7.7 percent. While it may seem like a modest decrease, it's the lowest unemployment rate in nearly four years. Veterans of all generations enjoyed a good month as well, with their rate dropping from 7.6 percent to 6.9 percent. 

A step in the right direction
Any gains in employment are certainly to be applauded, but it's important not to let the momentum drop. There is still considerable work to be done, veteran advocates say. In a speech to Congress earlier this week, Veterans of Foreign Wars commander John Hamilton spoke before Congress and said it should shoulder some of the responsibility of helping them, according to Military Times.

"Our government must do all that it can to encourage private sectors to hire more veterans," Hamilton said. "This includes creating a vocational rehabilitation for life program, as well as closing the military-civilian skills gap and promoting legislation at the state and federal levels for a clear, easier path to civilian licenses."

White House leading the charge
The issue of veterans' unemployment has been one of the chief concerns for White House officials. In February, it released a report analyzing how states can streamline credentialing and licensing processes for servicemembers separating from the Armed Forces. As of last February, only 11 states had passed such legislation, but the Obama administration hopes that all 39 follow suit by 2015.

"Our service men and women are some of the most highly trained, innovative, resilient [and] adaptable … individuals that our country has to offer," Marine Corps Sgt. Major Bryan B. Battaglia told reporters recently. 

Need for focus will increase
By the end of this year, 34,000 troops will be home from Afghanistan. The remaining forces stationed there will return to the United States by the end of 2014, and many of them will be looking for civilian jobs.