ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (AP) — After ensuring that other deployed U.S. troops got their greetings from afar, a Minnesota National Guard unit is on the final leg of its trip home from Afghanistan.

The last wave of 24 soldiers from the 147th Human Resource Company was expected back in Arden Hills for a welcome-home ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

The company was in charge of military postal operations in three areas in Afghanistan and was spread across 19 bases. The unit was a joint operation involving multiple military branches overseas as part of Operating Enduring Freedom.

On average, Guard officials say the company handled 100,000 pounds a day of incoming mail and 30,000 points of outgoing mail.

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