CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Katie Couric departed last night for a reporting trip to the Middle East and Central Asia. She is accompanying Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the five-day mission to several as-yet undisclosed countries.

CBS says the trip “represents the most access Gates has given to a reporter, enabling Couric to paint a full and unique picture of Gates, the first defense secretary ever invited to continue his service under the new administration of the opposite party.” Look for Couric’s reports all week on the Evening News on CBSNews.com and on 60 Minutes Sunday.

It was during a reporting trip to Iraq in Sept. 2007 that Couric found herself in the right place at the right time for a high-level one-on-one interview…