By Lori EhdeSometimes, the last 30 miles of a long trip home can seem like the longest leg of the journey.That will likely be the case for National Guard members who are returning home next week after a six-month deployment in England.Because the National Guard Armory in Luverne is under construction, local families will have to greet their returning guardsmen in Pipestone.This means that the chartered bus from Ft. McCoy, Wis., will have to bypass Luverne — with its Luverne occupants on board — on the way to the Pipestone Armory.But that doesn’t mean Luverne residents won’t participate in homecoming celebrations.The National Guard has agreed to allow the bus to turn off Highway 75 and parade down Main Street, likely escorted by local fire trucks.No stops are allowed in Luverne, but this would give the community a chance to wave and welcome the soldiers home, according to Luverne Chamber Director Dave Smith.Guardsmen on the bus will notify the Chamber office by cell phone when they leave Ft. McCoy and when they get closer to Luverne."We would like to have people come downtown and welcome them back," Smith said. "Even if it’s just to wave and greet them."So far, the troops are scheduled to arrive in Luverne around 3 p.m. Wednesday, and law enforcement will be on hand to direct traffic. Luverne’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 4 p.m. on Main Street, so Smith said coordinating the two events could get tricky if the guardsmen arrive late.The route back to Highway 75 from downtown is not determined, but it will be a brief detour through Luverne en route to Pipestone.The 125th Field Artillery left home on Aug. 13 last summer and was scheduled to fly into the States this morning."The guys are getting pretty antsy over there," Sgt. 1st Class Robert Newman said Tuesday. "They’re ready to get on a plane and come home." The group plans to leave Fort McCoy, Wis., on Wednesday, March 17, for the six-hour drive home, to Luverne and Pipestone. Once in Pipestone, fire trucks will escort buses to the armory, where families, public and press can greet and welcome the troops home.There is no formal program planned at this time, and only soldiers and immediate family members will be allowed inside the armory.Soldiers will be detained for about an hour for formation, inventory and to secure their gear, but will then be released for the day.On Friday, March 18, guardsmen will return to the Pipestone armory for final tasks and a noon meal, and at 2 p.m. formal welcome home ceremonies are planned both in Pipestone and in Luverne.In Luverne, the ceremony, about an hour long, will be at Luverne High School to honor guard members and their families.The entire community is invited, and the guard members will be allowed to leave with their families.According to Newman, the Luverne and Pipestone unit won’t be on deck for activation now for three years."We’ve been told to plan on three years, but with the military, we know we could go any time," Newman said.He said local guardsmen are fortunate in two ways: that they were deployed to England instead of Iraq, and that they were deployed for only six months."We were about the last of the short deployments," Newman said. "They’re all going to be a 12 to 18 months from now on."Local Guard members served in England primarily as additional security officers. Their duties included things such as checking IDs and patrolling bases.There are 93 affected members in the 125th Field Artillery that includes Luverne and Pipestone. Of those, 55 serve duty at the National Guard Training and Community Center in Luverne.Twenty-three of those live in Rock County and 21 live in Nobles County. Tentative itineraryMarch 11: Depart from England to the United States at Ft. McCoy, Wis.March 17: Arrive by bus in Luverne at approximately 3 p.m. for drive-through greeting en route to Pipestone where families can greet their returning guard members.March 18: 2 p.m. ceremonies in Luverne at the high school and in Pipestone at the community center.
