Students returning from their assignment in the 1174th Transportation Company of Dresden were welcomed home last month by family and friends after serving their duty in Iraq.

The soldiers arrived at 5:05 a.m. December 11, 2003 to meet their immediate family at the Ft. Campbell airport runway.

After their arrival, the soldiers spent time with their family and then reported to the barracks to prepare for a gathering with extended family and friends in a gymnasium.

Among those returning were Joseph Dacus of Dukedom, Ronnie Johnson of Martin, and Timothy Edelstein of Humboldt, all students at the UTM.

The 1174th is part of the 230th Area Support Group, headquartered in Dyersburg. Roughly 170 Tennessee soldiers were involved in the mobilization.

Several public figures have expressed their gratitude of the soldiers serving in Iraq.

"Hussein's capture should be especially gratifying to our brave troops and to the people of Iraq," Sen. Lamar Alexander said. He added that "It is not the end of conflict and of American sacrifice."

U.S. troops are still in harm's way, and the United States has not yet completed its mission in Iraq, U.S. Rep. John Tanner said after returning from a three-day trip to military sites in and around Iraq.

"We have moved into a different phase of conflict," Tanner said after returning from the trip, "but this war is not over. The area is not yet secure, and our brave American men and women are still under fire every day."

A welcome home banquet is scheduled to be held later this month in Dresden at American Legion Post 94.