Much like the military, The Tribune is always looking for a few good men and women.

Although we won’t be sending anyone overseas to fight for our country, these “soldiers” are in the trenches every day making sure you get your newspaper.

And, believe me, it can be a battle some days.

The newspaper carrier is an often-overlooked part of the process of getting the news to your home but it is certainly a vital one.

It doesn’t matter how good a photograph looks, how important a story is or how great an upcoming sale will be. If the newspaper doesn’t get to your doorstep, it is all for nothing.

Back in the day, it was almost a right of passage for youth to have a newspaper route. As more and more newspapers became morning editions, the youth carrier went the way of the Dodo bird.

That is one reason The Tribune has continued to publish on an afternoon cycle. Being a newspaper carrier gives young men and women an opportunity to learn responsibility, time management, customer service, dedication and other traits important to success in life.

Some may think being a newspaper carrier is easy. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Essentially every newspaper carrier is in business for himself or herself. They are independent contractors who basically buy the newspapers and sell them to their customers.

Want to grow the business? No problem. Carriers have the ability to add customers on their own and are ultimately responsible for providing good service.

This is sometimes a tough concept to grasp and only the best ones truly take advantage.

The Tribune has some great newspaper carriers, though I won’t name them because I will most certainly leave someone out and offend the slighted party.

By the same token, the newspaper has contracted with some bad carriers over the years but I won’t name them either for similar reasons.

Like the mailman, newspaper carriers are expected to deliver rain, snow or shine.

Mother Nature can often be a big challenge as flooding and icy conditions can be big hurdles.

Man-made problems such as traffic, road construction and delays getting the newspaper on time can also create challenges.

We appreciate all the newspaper carriers contracted to provide this service to our communities. We appreciate their effort and know customers appreciate it, too.

And we are always looking for more individuals who are interested in operating their own business and who show the responsibility to help provide the news daily.

If you think this might interest you contact circulation manager Josh Morrison at (740) 532-1445 ext. 16 or josh.morrison@irontontribune.com.

The Tribune and its predecessor newspapers have been a staple of Lawrence County for more than 150 years and newspaper carriers have been right there as our business partners every step of the way.

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Tribune. To reach him, call (740) 532-1445 ext. 24 or by e-mail at mike.caldwell@irontontribune.com.