Families Welcome Home Their 484th

Families from northeastern Montana and around the state ignored winter weather warnings and homed in on the Billings airport Saturday to welcome their National Guard soldiers returning from duty in Afghanistan. The 484th MP Co. left Montana last April, spent two months in pre-deployment training at Fort Bliss, Texas, then flew to several duty stations in Afghanistan. They supported the training mission to the Afghanistan National Police for Operation Enduring Freedom.

The soldiers retraced their route coming home. They spent 10 days demobilizing at Fort Bliss before arriving by chartered jet at Edwards Air.

About 120 soldiers filed off the plane, carrying rucksacks and belongings. They were greeted with hugs, signs, tears – and an apple pie for each one.

One soldier’s mother said the homecoming was great, but she felt the greatest relief when they arrived at Fort Bliss, just knowing they were back in the United States.