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President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address to the American people Jan. 28, touching on several topics relating to veterans and the military. The president mentioned the "Joining Forces" initiative, which encourages employers to hire veterans and their family members, and the efforts the government is currently taking to get these individuals the benefits and care they need.

Have you ever tried to use your computer with your eyes closed? Even with a screen reader, it's incredibly challenging. The fact is, most computer applications are not designed with disabled users in mind. Trying to navigate the web using a screen reader gave me a new level of appreciation for the amount of effort Envisage Technologies, the company for which I work, has put into improving the overall 508 compliance of the Acadis® Readiness Suite. Section 508 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs run by federal agencies, programs that receive federal assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors. An amendment to Section 508 requires federal agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible in order to eliminate barriers in information technology and create new opportunities for people with disabilities. The Acadis Readiness Suite is an enterprise software application designed to streamline training management for first responders and other federal, state and local government agencies. While 508 compliance is a requirement for several of our customers, Customs and Border Protection made compliance a priority for this software suite. Their intent was to perform 508 compliance checks on Acadis, and our intent was to be prepared.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are still experiencing the effects of a recovering economy. Lowered state funding continues to slash local budgets, compelling many departments to lay off officers. Agencies are faced with the choice to have their remaining officers focus on law enforcement or administrative duties, the former being the priority. As a result, they may look to engage people who are not sworn officers to complete critical administrative tasks. The concept of civilianization is not a new one, but the shift toward civilianization that occurred near the end of the 20th century was substantial. In 1965, the ratio of sworn officers to civilians employed by law enforcement agencies was 8.3:1, and in 1995 the ratio was 2.6:1. In general, civilians have been employed to a greater extent in large metropolitan police departments than small departments. They are employed more in the west than the east, and also are employed in greater proportions in city and county departments than in state agencies. Increasing civilian employment in law enforcement may help organizations address the diminished number of sworn officers. Civilianization of police departments offers many advantages and disadvantages for organizations that should be reviewed before making this transition.

All commanders, starting at company level, are ordered to assess the command climate in their units within six months. The Army wants specific emphasis on handling sexual assaults. Army Directive 2013-29, issued Dec. 23, tells commanders to conduct command climate assessments using the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute Organizational Climate Survey. The DEOCS survey measures organizational, equal opportunity, equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment/assault response and prevention issues.

When you dial 911, you expect to be connected with someone who is able to provide emergency services to you in your time of need. But what do you really know about who is answering that emergency line? Telecommunicators are often thought of as the "first, first responder." They collect sufficient information from calls in order to get the proper response to the emergency at hand. One might presume there is a great deal of training and education that precedes procuring a job as a telecommunicator. While that may be true, a standard level of training is rarely required for employment.

Military training is a demanding experience. Service members test themselves mentally and physically by enduring extreme situations. The skills learned in these exercises put soldiers in a position to succeed on the battlefield, but they also remain valuable when a veteran transitions from the service into civilian life.