Hundreds gathered in downtown Milledgeville Saturday to honor the recent homecoming of the Delta Company of the 48th Brigade, part of the Georgia National Guard.
The soldiers of the Milledgeville-based company returned home in March after serving a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan.
The community honored their service during a ceremony at Georgia Military College.
Staff Sergeant Thomas Resha, who is also a sergeant with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, says seeing crowds lined up in his hometown lets him know he's supported both overseas and at home.
"It reminds me that even though everybody may feel different about the war and the politics, they support me and they support what I'm doing," Resha said.
A tearful tribute to the company's fallen soldier, Staff Sergeant Alex French who was killed in Afghanistan this fall, brought everyone in the crowd to their feet.
French's sister Laquitta Basley says she joined family members at the event to show support for her brother's fellow soldiers, just as he would have wanted them to.
"They were there for him and we're there for them," Basley said.
A party lakeside after the ceremony gave fellow soldiers the chance to reconnect.
"We miss each other, you live with them so long day in, day out," Specialist Antonio Olguin said.
The Central Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross, along with the City of Milledgeville and the Delta Company Family Readiness Group, hosted the event.