This Sunday, the CBS news program 60 Minutes will dedicate its entire one-hour show to Iowa National Guard soldiers and their families.

The program, “Fathers, Sons, and Brothers” will air at 6 p.m. (Iowa time) on CBS affiliates. The Iowa Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry (The Ironman Battalion) — the unit that includes Iowa state Rep. Ray Zirkelbach — and their families here in Iowa are followed from initial alert to the present, nearly 24 total months.

The relationship between the TV news program and the Iowa Guard was formed, according to Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, in summer 2004 when 60 Minutes did a report on three of the nation’s fallen, who included Iowa National Guard member Bruce Smith. The helicopter pilot and instructor had lost his life the previous November when his Chinook, which carried roughly 40 soldiers, was hit by enemy fire. In the subsequent crash-landing, 16 soldiers lost their lives, but 20 survived.

“We worked with them as they put together the piece with Bruce Smith and had a good relationship,” Hapgood said. “We were pleased with how the final piece came out, feeling it was very balanced, and that paved the way for us to be more comfortable about this more long-term piece.”

CBS, knowing it wanted to follow a battalion-sized unit and family back home, approached the National Guard in several states to see what might be available and who might be willing.

“It was approximately two years ago when they first came to us to see if we had units of a certain size and if we could work together on something like this,” Hapgood said. “After learning of the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry they met with a number of soldiers and families to make a rough decision as to which story lines would be followed.”

Given the title of the piece, the focus isn’t difficult to figure out.

“There are probably 18 different families that have multiple family members serving,” he explained. “You have lots of relationships there — fathers and sons, brothers, nephews, cousins. We also have the very unusual circumstance of having one husband-and-wife couple serving.”

In general, it is unusual to have women serving in the infantry since federal law and internal policies limit the roles women can play in combat situations.

The unit was alerted in July 2005 to serve as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism. They reported to Camp Shelby, Miss., in September 2005 before leaving for Iraq the following April. In January 2007, the Department of Defense extended their deployment for up to 125 days, or through August 2007.

There have been two major items of note about the unit in the local press: Zirkelbach’s service and two fallen soldiers. While Hapgood admits he has not seen the final product, he says, because of the focus of the piece and based on questions asked of him, he does not believe either will be a big presence in the news report.

Because of the deployment and extension of duty, Zirkelbach – who was first elected in 2004 and won re-election in 2006 (unopposed) – has missed the 2006 and 2007 legislative sessions. He was the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee from 2004 to 2006. He is the only state representative deployed to Iraq. A corrections officer at Anamosa State Penitentiary and a member of AFSCME Local 2994, he represents Jones County and a portion of Dubuque County.

In September 2006, two members of the group – Staff Sgt. Scott E. Nisely, 48, of Marshalltown and Spc. Kampha B. Sourivong, 20, of Iowa City – lost their lives during combat operations near Al Asad, Iraq.

“We were honored by 60 Minutes – one of the preeminent news organizations in the world – wanting to follow our Iowa National Guard soldiers,” said Hapgood. “We hope it will help provide an understanding of how deployment affects our soldiers and their families and even our communities. We hope that will lead to greater support for our military and their families.”

The 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry includes units located in Waterloo (Headquarters and Headquarters Company as well as Detachment 1 of Company B), Dubuque (Companies A and D), Oelwein (Company B), Iowa Falls (Company C), and Charles City (Detachment 1 of Headquarters and Headquarters Company). Approximately 560 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry are on this deployment, with an additional 130 soldiers from Company E, 334th Brigade Support Battalion (Waterloo and Dubuque) providing logistical support.

The Ironmen Battalion’s core mission is to conduct close combat with enemy forces and provide security of key terrain, facilities and installations.