Black Americans were singled out on Veterans Day - their service to the nation beginning with the Revolutionary War, when 5,000 fought for independence.

Many filled boats on Christmas night in 1776 and crossed the Delaware River with George Washington, notes Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), going on to fight in the War of 1812, the Civil War (23 blacks were awarded Medals of Honor for bravery and gallantry fighting Confederates), the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II (more than 1 million blacks were in uniform, one of the most famous being Dorie Miller, a steward aboard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, who saw his captain fall, pulled him to safety, manned a machine gun, and downed several Japanese planes), Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Gulf war, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, to name many.

INTERNATIONAL GUARD

President Bush this week realized firsthand how many men and women of the National Guard are off serving their country in the war against terrorism.

While touring the BMW Manufacturing Corp. in Greer, S.C., Bush learned that 26 of the plant's employees are currently stationed in Iraq.

'CAMPLAIGNERS'

"My husband, Ed Bradley Jr., has coined a new word to describe the current field of (Democratic) candidates in the presidential election: Camplaigning," writes Dari Bradley, of Niceville, Fla.

IDENTIFY AND HOBBLE

Terrorists should have no problem identifying thousands of Americans working in the homeland security field.

Marketer Edith Roman Associates has introduced a new file, "Homeland Security Executives," which lists 335,844 names, phone numbers and business addresses. The list includes officials in the public and private sectors who play a role in responding to emergencies and disseminating information, from government and school personnel to medical workers and biologists.

JOB FRONTIERS

Where are the best places to work in federal government?

According to 100,000 federal employees who answered an Office of Personnel Management survey, here are the top 10 federal agencies of 28 Cabinet departments and nearly 200 subagencies:

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2. National Science Foundation

3. Office of Management and Budget

4. General Services Administration

5. Environmental Protection Agency

6. Office of Personnel Management

7. Air Force

8. Department of Interior

9. Department of Commerce

10. Department of the Army

This "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" ranking is developed by the Partnership for Public Service and American University.

AMATEUR LEADERS

Not happy of late with "the venting of frustration" by leaders on the minority side, Sen. Mitch McConnell reminds Democrats of the hallowed and historic halls in which they serve.

"I suggest it is unworthy of the Senate when those in it - members of the Senate - fail to heed to the role of this body, which is to provide cool, reasoned and less passionate judgment as we do the people's business," says the Kentucky Republican.

He calls attention to "callow, petulant characterizations" directed of late at Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, including the term "amateur."

How does one cool the Democratic rhetoric?

"When the Constitution was written, Thomas Jefferson was away in France," McConnell notes. "He wrote George Washington asking him to explain the function of the Senate. Jefferson understood the role of the House to be a place of great passion and quick reaction, but he wasn't quite sure what this Senate was going to be like. Continued...