More than 150 members of the National Guard rejoined their families last night in Reading after a year-long deployment to Kabul City in Afghanistan.

Among the troops celebrating their homecoming from the 26th Yankee Brigade were two from Wakefield - Major Danny McNeil and Specialist Kenneth Hickey.

During their deployment in Afghanistan, McNeil and Hickey and the rest of the soldiers in Task Force Yankee were responsible for the security of all U.S. Forces and installations in the capital city of Kabul to include; the movement corridors that connect the U.S. and NATO installations and critical security sites within the capital.

The brigade was also responsible for the operational command and base operations for the 11 U.S. bases in Kabul. The brigade provided quick reaction forces for the capital, as well as provided police advisory teams to support more than 13,000 Afghan National police officers assigned to the Kabul City Police Command, and support the humanitarian assistance operations for U.S. Forces.

"[Kenneth] wasn’t in a hazardous situation he was in Kabul on a base but it’s just a relief to have him out of there," said Carol Hickey, his mother. 

Did you welcome home a troop from overseas on Thursday night, or at a previous homecoming? Add your photo to the gallery!