September 24, 2010 -- The federal workforce is made up of many employees with various specialties. These jobs often come with unique challenges and opportunities. These can include training and development needs, issues being considered by Congress, and agency-specific issues.

To address these challenges and ensure a voice in the decision-making process, many federal employees have come together through associations.

This week on FEDtalk, host Bill Bransford will be joined by two of these associations to learn about their organizations and discuss their top issues.

During the first half of the show, Wil Plummer, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) will discuss issues important to NOBLE's federal law enforcement members.

Michael Gilsdorf, Executive Vice President of the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) will join the conversation during the second half of the show to discuss the top issues facing federal veterinarians.