Tears fell as families and loved ones embraced their returning soldiers this afternoon at the Salina Army Aviation Support Facility.

Like magnets being held close together, waiting to connect, the soldiers and families sat patiently for the welcome home closing ceremony to end.

The commanding officer stepped out from the other soldiers near him, about-faced and saluted his fellow soldiers dismissing them from duty. The sound of chairs squeaking on the concrete floor, clapping and cheering filled the airplane hanger.

“The feeling was like nothing else,” Samuel Michael said about being reunited with his fiance; smiles plastered on both of their faces.

The 20 members of Detachment 2, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment that returned today successfully completed all of their missions while serving in Afghanistan.

“I’ll go back and serve whenever they call on me, but hopefully it isn’t soon because I’m planning to get married in October,” Michael said.