BOISE, Idaho — On Thursday, 80-plus soldiers with the Idaho Army National Guard were welcomed home by loved ones as they returned to Gowen Field after serving on a 10-month-long deployment at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

The soldiers also returned alongside 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

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The soldiers were stationed at Fort Belvoir to support the Joint Emergency Evacuation Plan (JEEP) mission. JEEP is a recurring mission that offers emergency airlift capabilities for official personnel in the region surrounding the nation's capital.

Friends, family, and fellow servicemen exchanged hugs, smiles, and laughs as they celebrated the returning soldiers.

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