Soldier blogs for Reporter

Lt Col David Eastman MBE, whose family is from Mirfield, leaves for a six month tour this week in a new role as army spokesman.

And Lt Col Eastman will be writing a regular blog to feature on our new-look website.

He said: “I am the media advisor to Commander Task Force Helmand. I will be responsible for planning and looking after all journalists that come into the British area of operations. I am also the spokesman and so will be on TV when the media requires official comment from the military in Afghanistan.

“I was the deputy chief of staff of the Brigade that first went into Helmand in 2006. This will be my first time back since then and it will be very interesting to compare how much things have changed.”

Born in Northern Ireland in 1970, where his Army father was posted, he was commissioned into the Royal Emectrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1989. During the 1990s he served in Bosnia, the Falklands and Kosovo, before being posted to Northern Ireland in 2001, and them sent to Afghanistan.

Lt Col Eatman was made an MBE in 2007 and in 2008 he was sent to Iraq in command of two battalions to help plan the withdrawl process. After his current Afghan tour, Lt Col Eastman will be promoted to Colonel.

Look out for his online diary on our websites soon at
www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk and www.mirfieldreporter .co.uk