Last of Edmonton troops to return home from Afghanistan
Western Canadian troops first to enter Afghanistan in 2002 and last to leave
Twenty-six soldiers returned home to Edmonton on Tuesday as part of the final group of Canadian Armed Forces members to leave Afghanistan.
The soldiers landed at the Edmonton International Airport where they were greeted by dignitaries like Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and Premier Alison Redford.
The military flight returned a total of 84 members, but made earlier stops in Ottawa and Brandon, Man.
The soldiers then traveled from the airport to the Edmonton Garrison under police escort where they were reunited with their families.
Warrant Officer Wilf Lowenberg spent nine months away from his wife and daughter.
"It's great to be home," he said. "I think we did a lot of good work. And yeah, it's always a good feeling that hopefully we'll never have to go back again."
Lowenberg says he's looking forward to hanging out and "being a dad and a husband again.'
While the flight marks the end of Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan, it's most significant to Western Canadian troops as they were the first to enter Afghanistan in early 2002 and they are the last to leave, military spokesman Fraser Logan said.
The returning soldiers were part of Task Force 2-13 in support of Operation ATTENTION, Canada’s contribution to the International Security Assistance Force/NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan.