The Louisiana National Guard distributed more than 100 Christmas across the state, according to a DOD story. They were donated by Ryder Tree Farms, owned by Bill Ryder, who once served in the state’s Guard as a heavy equipment operator. “My wife and I can only hope that the donated Christmas trees will bring a little joy and happiness to the troops and their families,” Ryder said….

Military.com checked in on the Florida program to employ veterans to help fill a teacher shortage. “[W]hile the law generated headlines, it’s unlikely to fix the problem,” according to the report, which said only seven veterans filled vacant teacher positions statewide.

Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Noshoba Davis