Nat'l Guard soldiers return from Iraq

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - More than a dozen Rhode Island National Guard soldiers returned home from an overseas deployment.

Family and friends gathered at T.F. Green Airport late Tuesday to greet 14 soldiers from the 126th Aviation Company. They all made it back safely after a yearlong deployment in Southwest Asia.

The service members were some of the last American troops to leave the Iraq war at the end of Operation New Dawn.

They were also deployed in Kuwait and Jordan. Their mission was conducting passenger transportation with Black Hawk helicopters.

After a long time away, family members said they are happy their loved ones are finally home.

"It's great, it's a good thing. Eleven months is a long time out there," said Crystal Pearson, a wife of one of the soldiers.

The airmen actually left early for their deployment last year due to Hurricane Irene.