Maj. Mark Almond said it's been a long, tough time being away from his little girls. He missed his girls' dance recitals and first day of kindergarten.

"I was gone for 10 months and it was difficult missing things they go through," Almond said.

Members of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade were welcomed back Tuesday with a thank you ceremony.

Almond's wife Holly is already making plans for the family.

"We're going to Disneyland and we're going to get a dog," Almond said.

Spc. Victoria Clark says she changed overseas and is ready to rebuild the bond with her family.

"We're getting together, catching up and just getting to know one another again after being gone for such a long time," Specialist Clark said.

Staff Sgt. Phillip Harrell said no matter how proud he is of his brigade, being away never gets easier.

"This was my sixth deployment and I think it was the hardest," Staff Sgt. Harrell said.

Many of the soldiers agree that besides their families they miss the little things the most.

"[You miss] driving your own car, being in your own house and watching what you want to watch," Staff Sgt. Harrell said.

Spc. Clark said there more things she missed.

"The green grass and trees; green is great," Specialist Clark said.

Almond said now that he's back, dance class and PTA meetings are his main priority.
The Soldiers of the 449th are trained to coordinate and direct reconnaissance and security, air assault and air movement, attack and combat service support missions. During the course of the deployment the 449th TAB commanded seven battalions and six separate companies, totaling over 3,200 Soldiers and Airmen which flew an excess of 50,000 accident free combat flight hours throughout the Iraqi Theater of Operations.