CBS 11 anchor Keith Garvin and photojournalist Edgar Solis are traveling to Afghanistan to see the U.S. war effort firsthand. In February they will bring back a series of stories about our troops there.  While they are traveling, Keith is writing this blog for CBSDFW.COM.

DFW INT’L AIRPORT (CBSDFW.COM), Jan. 14, 2012 - Photographer Edgar Solis & I are about to be wheels up from DFW to Afghanistan!  We’re headed to Bagram Air Field in Parwan Province to spend 10-14 days with the men & women of the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood.  We’ve pulled our troops out of Iraq but we are still fully engaged in Afghanistan.  With the human & monetary capital we are spending in that country it’s important for us to remember we are still a nation at war.  It’s important to remember the sacrifice our men & women in uniform, along with their families, continue to make.

The Army has graciously extended what are known as Invitational Travel Orders to us.  They will allow us to fly to & from Afghanistan on a military rest & recuperation (R&R) flight.  We’ll be embedded with our troops…eating, living, & travelling with them while we’re away.

Edgar & I plan to show you what daily life is like for our troops in Afghanistan.  We will profile several soldiers who are North Texas natives, give you a nuts & bolts look at their mission, & sit down with the Cav’s commander Major General Dan Allyn to get his assessment of the division’s mission & progress to help the Afghan government become self-sufficient.  We look forward to bringing you those stories when we return in February!

Click here for all of Keith’s Afghanistan Diary entries.