More than 1,200 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers were back in the state as of this morning with another planeload expected today and two more tomorrow, officials said.
While the number of soldiers on each plane hasn't been confirmed, a Guard press release estimates a total of 750 will come home on the next three flights into Volk Field.
That would bring the total to about three-fifths of the roughly 3,200 who were mobilized a year ago.
Guard officials hope to have all the soldiers back before the end of the month.
Units expected home today and tomorrow are from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, Fond du Lac; soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, Appleton and Clintonville; 829th Engineer Company, Chippewa Falls, Richland Center and Ashland; soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, Portage; some members of Company A , 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Onalaska; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, Appleton and Clintonville; Company B, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, Green Bay; Company B (Support Maintenance), 257th Brigade Support Battalion, Kenosha; and some members of Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry, Madison and Troop C, Reedsburg.For a recap of the homecomings so far click here.
Family members have instructions on how to confirm estimated flight times. The homecomings are not open to the public.