UPDATED BREAKING NEWS: ALPHA COMPANY IS BACK HOME IN INDIANA

The returning National Guardsmen enter a jam-packed hanger at Stout Field in Indianapolis on Friday morning. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

Part of the welcome crowd of spouses, family members and friends that greeted members of the Indiana National Guard 1-151 Alpha Company unit from Linton and Vincennes armories on Friday morning. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

After more than nine months on duty in Iraq the approximate 130 local Guardsmen returned back home to Indiana amid cheers and rousing applause as they marched in formation into Building 9 at Stout Field between a row of American flags.

Many of those waiting for these hometown Hoosier heroes held up specially-crafted welcome home signs, others stretched to see their favorite soldier and loved one as they paraded in front of them, amid a steady series of flashes from scores of digital cameras.

Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger -- the top commanding officer in the Indiana National Guard -- addressed the crowd of several thousand Friday morning prior to the arrival of the local Guardsmen from Iraq. Umbarger thanked the families for the sacrifices they had endured during the recent deployment that started last December. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger -- the top commanding officer in the Indiana National Guard -- addressed the crowd of several thousand Friday morning prior to the arrival of the local Guardsmen from Iraq.

He called the troops "great Hoosiers and great Americans."

"I just want to say to all of you on behalf of Gov. (Mitch) Daniels and the 6 1/2 million Hoosiers, thank you for your sacrifice you all did as a family of your loved ones who have been deployed. You can be very proud of them. We are very proud of you. You are the ones who stayed home and kept the home running fine. When you wear the uniform and you have a spouse or a mother or father or a loved one, you've served as well. So, all of us thank you for your sacrifice over the last year."

Approximately 300 Soldiers from Indiana Army National Guard are welcomed by the crisp cool air shortly early Friday. The Soldiers return from a nine-month deployment in Iraq with the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. (Photo Submitted by: Staff Sgt. Tina Griffin, 120th Public Affairs Detachment)

Major General Umbarger spoke about a trip he made to visit the Hoosier troops in Iraq about six months ago.

"I had the opportunity to speak to a lot of the commanders that your soldiers work for and here is what I heard each and every time. They could not believe the discipline and the professionalism of the Indiana National Guard soldiers. They did their job well. They served their country well. We are glad to have them home," he said. "I told them I kind of hate that they were the one group (returning home) that spent Thanksgiving (Day) in the air. We are going to get them through Camp Atterbury safely and get them back home to you."

Company A, 151st Soldiers completed a total of 210 combat logistics patrols transporting more than 7,800 foreign national loads and 3,800 contractor and U.S. military loads across Iraq.

The flight -- carrying about 380 Hoosier National Guardsmen -- landed at Indianapolis International Airport at about 4 a.m., actually nearly 30 minutes head of schedule.

After being processed through baggage and customs and turning in what soldiers call sensitive items -- weapons and night vision goggles -- to military policemen, the soldiers were bussed to Stout Field at 2002 S. Holt Road, Building 9 where family and friends visited with the Guardsmen for about one hour before they departed to begin demobilization activities Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh.

That process is expected to take between three and five days. Then the troops will be released to go home and resume their family lives.

A community celebration at the Linton Armory is tentatively planned to coincide with the return of the troops from Camp Atterbury, according to local Family Readiness Group (FRG) coordinator Kristi Bladen. Details are still being worked out and will be announced when a more exact time is known for the troops back to the community, she said.

In addition, a large-scale welcome home celebration for the Indiana National Guard troops will be hosted sometime in January at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to recognize the returned troops.

Other National Guard troops on Friday's flight were Company B, 76th Special Troops Battalion based in Indianapolis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 76th Special Troops Battalion also based in Indianapolis; Company A, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry based in Warsaw.

While deployed Company A, 151st soldiers from armories in Linton and Vincennes completed a total of 210 combat logistics patrols transporting more than 7,800 foreign national loads and 3,800 contractor and U.S. military loads across Iraq.

One of the proudest people in the building was Staff Sgt. Jeff Hall, who has been involved with the Linton Guard unit since 1992. He works out of the rear detachment of out the Jasper headquarters.

As a long-time Guardsmen he said he gave him great pride to see the members of Alpha Company march into the building -- safe after being in a dangerous combat zone for about nine months.

Sgt. Curt McCrary, of Sullivan, watches as his six-month-old daughter, Ava, plays with his dog tags. She was born during his deployment to Iraq. Sgt. McCrary is member of Alpha Company, 1-151st Indiana National Guard unit based in Linton. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

"These are my boys. It' the outfit I grew up in. They are just like a part of my family. I worked with the families this summer on Family Readiness Group stuff and it's a joy to see them get back with their soldiers. I feel like I've accomplished a little bit of something," he replied. "They all done a good job (over there). I'm proud of them once again."

SSG Hall acknowledged it was also good for him as a veteran Guardsmen to see his fellow soldiers all come back safe and sound.

"They had some trying moments and they had a couple of IEDs got them (their vehicles) but the good Lord was watching out for them."

The approximate 3,400 members of the 76th Brigade who were put on active duty -- starting in early December 2007-- comprised the deployment of citizen soldiers in the state of Indiana since World War II.

Chelsea Wood, daughter of Lt. Andy Wood and Jacci Wood, of Coal City. Lt. Wood is commander of Alpha Company, 1-151st of Linton. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

Other 76th Brigade National Guardsmen returned in two separate flights Thanksgiving Day.

The morning flight on Thursday included members of Company A, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry based in Warsaw; Company E, 113th based in Fort Wayne; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry based in Jasper; Company D, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry based in Washington; and Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 150th Field Artillery based in Greencastle.

An evening flight had soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop 1st Squadron, 152nd Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition based in New Albany.; Troop A, 1st Squadron, 152nd Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition based in Madison; and Troop C, 1st Squadron, 152nd Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition based in Salem.

The family of Guardsmen Aaron Childress, of Brazil, gathers around him shortly after his return from Iraq. He was busy filling them in on details of his combat zone mission. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

This morning another flight of Hoosier Guardsmen will land back in Indianapolis.

The Soldiers are with Company D, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry based in Washington; Headquarters and Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry based in Fort Wayne; 1638th Transportation Company based in Remington; and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry based in Jasper.