RENO (AP) - Dozens of Nevada National Guardsmen who spent a year deployed in the war zone in Afghanistan have returned home to Reno.
More than 500 family members, friends and fellow soldiers were on hand to welcome them back Thursday at Reno Stead Airport.
The 55 guardsmen are members of the 1/168th Aviation MEDEVAC Unit that is nicknamed the Wolf Pack Company.
The unit was responsible for evacuating wounded soldiers from the battlefield in Afghanistan. In all, it performed 663 missions and evacuated 1,027 soldiers.
Sgt. Ben Garate's 4-month-old daughter was born during the deployment. He said he came home briefly for her birth but hadn't seen her since.
"It's just great to be home," he said while holding his 2-year-old daughter.
Garate called the deployment to Afghanistan, "a lifetime experience in one year."
"I learned a lot," he said.