PORTLAND, Maine - About 30 members of the Maine National Guard are home from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan.
Thirteen members of the 243rd Engineering Installation Squadron arrived late Tuesday and another 15 arrived shortly before noon Wednesday to waiting family and friends at the Portland International Jetport.
During their deployment, the airmen provided communications upgrades to air bases across Afghanistan and removed equipment from bases that are closing.
The 243rd was one of the first units deployed to Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and members of the unit have served in Iraq, as well. Some members of the deployment that just ended were also part of that first deployment to Afghanistan more than 13 years ago.