ITS A SIGHT THAT WILL NEVER GET OLD. ROWS OF SOLDIERS RETURNING HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES AFTER SPENDING A YEAR APART.

DAVID KLOTZ INFANTRYMAN "....it feels amazing I just like the fact that I'm at home and I don't have to deal with this anymore and I can just go enjoy my family......"

INFANTRYMAN DAVID KLOTZ AND 58 OTHERS FROM THE 33RD INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM WERE WELCOMED BACK TODAY AT THE MACHESNEY PARK ARMORY... AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN AFGHANISTAN.
SPECIALIST TIFFANY GIVENS ARRIVED TO FIND A BATTALION OF HER OWN AWAITING HER .. AUNTS, COUSIN, BROTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ALL SHOWED FOR HER... AND AFTER A YEAR AWAY, WHAT DID GIVENS SAY SHE MISSED THE MOST?

TIFFANY GIVENS SPECIALIST "...food, i miss eating home cooked meals, I can't wait to go home and get one....."

AND HER GRANDMAN KATIE BROOKS SAYS SHE HAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL PLANNED.
KATIE BROOKS, GRANDMOTHER ".....later we're gonna have a party she said she wanted some collared greens! so I made some for her already...."

WHO WAS WAITING FOR INFANTRYMAN KLOTZ? HIS GIRLFRIEND JENNIFER JOHNSON. SINCE THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME APART, THEY HAD TO FIND WAYS TO DEAL WITH A VERY LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP.

JENNIFER JOHNSON, GIRLFRIEND "....it's hard but with the phone calls it makes it easier knowing that they're ok and they'll be home soon...."

DAVID KLOTZ INFANTRYMAN ".....it's definantly a great time I can't wait to go home try to renew our realationship and get back to normal....."

AND WITH HIS DEPLOYMENT OVER, THEY WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO CATCH UP. IN ROCKFORD, CHRIS NORMAN, 23 NEWS RIGHT NOW.

ABOUT 160 ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WITH THE 33RD RETURNED HOME TODAY. NINE SOLDIERS WITH THE BATTALION WERE KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN.