"Kentucky, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"<br/> <br />Thousands of miles from home, U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan celebrate Christmas.<br/> <br />With plates stacked high, fellow soldiers enjoy a Christmas meal inside Bagram Air Base outside Kabul.<br/> <br />One soldier says being with her military family is the next best way to celebrate Christmas away from home.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MAJOR LESLIE DESANDEN, U.S DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL, SAYING:<br/> <br />"It is always hard to be away from my family, family friends back in the States, but I have my military family and we are just this close as my blood relatives, so I am okay with them. I can share Christmas with my friends and family down range, and it is a just great experience."<br/> <br />There are still 43,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, as the United States and Afghanistan continue to work on a security deal that will determine how many U.S. troops remain there past 2014.<br/> <br />The troops still face challenges from armed groups like the T
