Majority of Minn. Red Bulls expected home by week's end

Nearly all of the Minnesota Red Bull soldiers who spent the past year in Iraq will be back home by the end of the week.

The 34th Red Bull Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard worked to transfer control of Iraq's security forces to the Iraqis.

A third wave of about 200 soldiers returned over the weekend; the whole division should be back in the state by the end of the week.

Maj. Patricia Baker said the National Guard expects the 34th Division to be home "for some time."

"Once they get done with some hard earned post deployment leave, they'll be coming back and we'll start their reintegration process with a 30-day event on [March 6]," Baker said. "Expect at the 60-day event in the second week of April to have an official, large-scale welcome home with all of the pomp and circumstance that these returning heroes deserve."

Baker said the military will help guard members adjust to life back in Minnesota.

"That includes everything from family and soldier level counseling and reintegration workshops," she said. "It includes education workshops, it includes outreach to employers here within the state of Minnesota and many other aspects to help them come back to their Minnesota lives."