Des Moines Register Covers Fort Irwin, Calif.

The Des Moines (Iowa) Register also embedded a reporter-photographer team with soldiers of the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry Division earlier this month. More than 3,000 Iowa and Nebraska soldiers were participating in large-scale wargames at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. prior to moving out to Afghanistan.

Editorial comment: While I wasn't born here, I grew up and graduated high school in Iowa. (Full-disclosure: In my school daze, I technically once worked for the Gannett Corp., the newspaper's current owner.) I remember when The Des Moines Register ran an editorial cartoon on its front page, and printed its Sunday edition on peach-color newsprint, and featured homegrown and corn-fed wordsmiths such as Donald Kaul, Chuck Offenburger, John Carlson, and Ken Fuson.

As I've mentioned before in this blog, I've been extremely impressed with the quantity and quality of The Register's coverage of the Red Bull's upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. (In fact, I think the newspaper is generally improved, despite repeated budget- and staff-cuts in recent years.) No doubt that's due to someone higher-up in the newsroom--I'm sorry, that's now called an "information center"--committing precious Gannett dollars. But it's also due to hardworking craftspeople such as Register reporters Tony Leys and Reid Forgrave, and photographer Rodney White.

Look for their bylines, and buy their newspaper. Support the First Amendment by supporting the Fourth Estate. Do it, or I'll use this soapbox on you again.

As always, you can keep up with most of The Des Moines Register's coverage of the Red Bull via the newspaper's "Iowa National Guard" blog.

What follows is a quick summary The Register's coverage of the Red Bull at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. Meanwhile, a special shout-out in praise of White's photographic work (to see slide-show gallery, click here). I've taken the liberty of posting one example above. Even this mil-blogger has to admit: A professional shooter is worth a thousand blog posts.

Oct. 5: "A grisly reality adds to mock mortar attack"

Oct. 5: "Sergeant sets for fourth deployment in eight years"

Oct. 5: "Female soldiers bend the definition of 'non-combat' jobs"

Oct. 7: "Troops carry new, smaller rifle for Afghanistan service"

Oct. 10: "Afghanistan War vets prep for more dangerous mission"

Oct. 17: "Service in Afghanistan will separate Iowa twins"

Oct. 17: "Father-son duo in Iowa Guard head for Afghanistan together, with quiet confidence"