by Channel 2 News staff
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
FORT RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Another group of Alaska soldiers returned home to smiles and hugs at Fort Richardson Monday night.
After completing a year-long deployment in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan, 200 paratroopers landed at Elmendorf Air Force Base.
The paratroopers are assigned to the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, home-based at Fort Richardson.
After 12 months of waiting, soldiers and loved ones were reunited late Monday night.
"It's been short with the baby. It's been lonely, but it's nice to have him home now. It's going to be great to have our family together again," said Ashley Badillo, whose husband Jose returned.
Monday night's arrival means about 1,100 of the unit's 3,500 soldiers have come back home.
Another 2,300 members of the brigade are expected to return this month.
