National Guard troops return home for holidays
More than 100 soldiers are have returned for the holidays.
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About 115 soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade combat team -- including about 16 from the Hudson Valley -- returned home for the holidays early Thursday. Most of the soldiers had been serving in Kuwait.
Spc. Marco Nunes said he was eager to return home for the holidays.
"It's the only thing I've wanted," he said.
VIDEO: New Windsor welcomes soldiers home
The soldiers had spent a week being processed at Camp Shelby in Mississippi before returning home.
The soldiers are part of the 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Company A of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion and Company A of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry.
Last week 150 other soldiers from the 27th Infantry Brigade returned home after demobilization.
"They'll all be home for Christmas, which is great," said Lt. Col. James Gonyo.
The soldiers were dropped off at armories in New York City, Newburgh, Latham, Morrisonville, Rochester and Buffalo.
Some 400 New York National Guard Soldiers remain at Camp Shelby for processing. An additional 270 soldiers are expected to return to the United States from overseas by early January.
The remainder of the brigade's 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry Battalion, which served in Afghanistan, returned home in October.
