Connecticut Welcomes Home 500 Deployed Guardsmen

About 500 members of the Connecticut Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment were welcomed home at a Hartford ceremony after a deployment of roughly nine months to nearly a year across the Middle East and the U.S. Central Command area. The soldiers served across seven countries, carrying out missions including site security, convoy escort, force protection and countering drones and other threats; their assignment also shifted to support a new contingency mission. Commanders praised the unit’s performance, while state leaders thanked the soldiers for their service and sacrifices and noted that many return to civilian roles in their communities. The returning troops received deployment awards, including 46 Bronze Stars and six Purple Hearts.