Omaha Newspaper Launches Red Bull blog

The Omaha World-Herald recently launched a blog titled "At War, At Home," which covers Nebraska and Iowa citizen-soldiers currently deployed to Afghanistan. The blog now appears in the Red Bull Rising blog-roll, at right.

Reporter Joseph Morton and photographer Alyssa Schukar are currently embedded with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) units downrange--the deployment includes the Nebraska National Guard's 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1-134th Cav.)--while reporter Matthew Hansen and editor Cate Folsom are covering the home front. Read more about the blog team's background here.

In October 2010, Morton and Schukar also covered the units' pre-deployment training at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. Click here for more details of that coverage.

The new Omaha World-Herald blog regularly presents eye-catching news photos and portraiture, environmental videos, and question-and-answer sessions with individual soldiers. The editors also promise to regularly post "round-ups" of the newspaper's coverage, to help readers ensure they haven't missed anything. For two such round-ups click here and here.

Recent Omaha World-Herald coverage has included:

• "Nebraska troops deliver food," (Mar. 3). A 1-134th Cav. humanitarian-assistance mission delivers food to Afghan families.

• "Neb. troops make a difference" (Mar. 4). Kabul's police chief is thankful for the assistance of Nebraska National Guard soldiers and trainers, but thinks U.S. presence will still be required for another five to 10 years.

• "Mealtime in Afghanistan" (Mar. 5). How soldiers of Bravo Troop, 1-134th Cav. dine on local delicacies.

• "Troops coax out rural cops" (Mar. 7). How Alpha Troop, 1-134th Cav. uses humanitarian-assistance missions such as "Operation United Front" to bolster Afghan police image and presence.

• "A smokin' oasis for soldiers" (Mar. 12). Cigar-scented "Tiki Hut" hang-outs at Camps Phoenix and Dubs, Afghanistan, serve as places where Nebraska soldiers can blow off steam ... and smoke.

• "Working their way back" (Mar. 13). Veterans groups and other organizations are preparing to assist National Guard members find new employment after they return home from deployment.

• "Marathon man: Gretna Guard member plans to run the 26.2-mile Lincoln race in Kabul" (Mar. 14). Deployed to Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan, Army Maj. Spencer Giles continues to work toward his goal of making the "Lucky 13" club, which is made up of people who have run the Lincoln, Neb. marathon 13 times.

• "Guardsmen's job: Policing the police," a Mar. 15 article describing how Nebraskans daily train Afghan law enforcement personnel, while suspecting that some locals--both police and civilian--may be less than honest.

Here's a friendly reminder: If you find local and regional news coverage of Nebraska and Iowa citizen-soldiers meaningful, compelling, or useful, please be sure to buy some newspapers; make positive reader comments on newspaper and television station blogs; or send editors, reporters, and producers words of thanks via postal mail.