INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels says spirits are high among the thousands of Indiana National Guard members stationed in the Middle East.

Daniels reported via conference call Tuesday afternoon from Kuwait. It was near midnight there, and he was preparing to begin his trip home in the morning after two days touring Iraq.

"I saw what incredibly important work our people our doing," Daniels said. "They're really good at what they're doing. They're really proud of what they're doing, and every Hoosier should be, too."

Indiana has 4,133 National Guard members serving in the Middle East -- more than any other state. That includes about 3,400 members of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which deployed in March.

The 76th Infantry is running Logistics Support Area Anaconda, an encampment of 30,000 in Balad, which is north of Baghdad.

Daniels, who is traveling with Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, had breakfast at LSA Anaconda on Tuesday morning. The group also visited Camp Speicher near Tikrit and Camp Victory in Baghdad.

"I'm just trying to bring a message of support and love from home, make sure that we're doing all we can for their families while they're away," Daniels said. "We entered the county through Kuwait, spent two very, very long and full --and I would add, hot, days, -- moving around Iraq, visiting in various camps."

The governor said Baghdad is cleaner, its infrastructure is improved and "violence is way down" compared to his April 2006 visit to Iraq, which included a stop in Afghanistan. Daniels is expected to return to Indiana from his current trip Thursday.