RAPID CITY - A public "Welcome Home" ceremony is planned in Rapid City on Thursday for 130 members of the 235th Military Police Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard.

The soldiers are expected to return to South Dakota when they arrive about 10:15 a.m.at Westjet Air Center next to Rapid City Regional Airport.The company, which is headquartered in Rapid City with detachments in Custer and Sioux Falls, has been deployed in Afghanistan since early 2007 and the length of its total deployment is 427 days.

"We are all looking forward to seeing these troops back in South Dakota,"

said Maj. Gen. Steven Doohen, adjutant general. "I am tremendously proud of their service and I hope everyone turns out to welcome these Soldiers home."

The public is encouraged to attend an official welcome home ceremony at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Rapid City Civic Center theater.

The unit began its 12-month "boots-on-ground" deployment in Afghanistan in January of 2007 and conducted various security missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from four separate locations; Bagram Air Base, Forward Operating Base Salerno located just north of Khwost, FOB Fenty at the Jalalabad Airfield in northeastern Afghanistan, and at Camp Eggers in Kabul.

Unit members arrived in the United States on Sunday at Fort Carson, Colo., where they will complete the demobilization process before returning to South Dakota.

Tentative arrival and ceremonial schedule

• 10:15 a.m. - Arrival in South Dakota, Westjet Air Center, Rapid City Regional Airport.
• 10:45 a.m. - Depart for Range Road Armory aboard buses.
• 11:15 a.m. - Arrive at Range Road Armory.
• 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Family time and parade preparation.
• 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. - Parade: The start point will be at the Range Road Armory.
• The parade will travel west along Range Road to Raider Road, north along South 44th Street to West Chicago Street, east along West Chicago Street to West Omaha Street, north on North 8th Street to the Rapid City Civic Center.
• 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Official Welcome Home ceremony at the Rapid City Civic Center Theater.