550 Minn. National Guard soldiers returning from Iraq

More than 550 Minnesota National Guard soldiers are expected back on Friday and Saturday after serving a year in Iraq and Kuwait.

Members of the 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery will be honored at celebrations in Olivia, Madison and Marshall on Friday. Soldiers based in Morris, Ortonville, Montevideo and Appleton will arrive Saturday, and events will be held for those soldiers as well.

Members of the 151st were based at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, and the unit provided security for convoys from Kuwait to operating bases throughout Iraq.

National Guard officials say no members of the unit were injured after traveling 1.9 million miles and completing nearly 600 combat missions.