Minn. National Guard soldiers return from Afghanistan

A company of Minnesota National Guard soldiers returned home after serving for a year in Afghanistan.

Members of the 849th Mobility Augmentation Company were bused home to Litchfield on Monday.

Major General Rick Nash, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, said the company was tasked with finding and disabling bombs known as IEDs.

"By all measurements, they did a wonderful job with great success, and they've cleared over 5,000 miles of roads during their time that they spent in Afghanistan," Nash said.

About 150 Minnesota National Guard soldiers are still serving in the country.

"Those soldiers are working on convoy escorts across Afghanistan, hauling supplies and equipment and people, and they're basically ensuring the peaceful transition of U.S. forces as we draw down with the Afghan forces, both the Army and the security forces," Nash said.

President Barack Obama last week laid out a plan to wind down the war in Afghanistan. The president wants to keep 9,800 troops there after combat missions end later this year before completely leaving the country in 2016.