Newton Falls National Guard unit returns home

Staff report

NEWTON FALLS

The Ohio National Guard will welcome home 14 soldiers from its 290th Engineer Detachment during a 10 a.m. ceremony today at the First Church of God, 426 W. Broad St. The public is invited to attend.

The unit is based at Camp Ravenna in Newton Falls.

The troops are returning home from a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The unit mobilized in November 2011 to Afghanistan, where it conducted survey and design missions and provided technical engineering support to improve infrastructure and military construction, according to a press release.

During the deployment, unit soldiers designed a bridge, water-crossing sites, ammunition-supply points, helicopter-landing zones and several other projects.

The soldiers earned 33 military awards, including two Bronze Star medals and one Meritorious Service medal.