One hundred Canadian soldiers were reunited with their families for an emotional reunion when they returned home to CFB Petawawa Monday night after spending months serving in Afghanistan.
The troops, who are part of Joint Task Force Afghanistan Headquarters in Kandahar, had been in the war zone since last spring.
"I'm glad to be back here. My family's here, the tour's over and that's all behind us now. So, now we can get on with my leave and having some fun," Maj. Jim MacInnes told CTV Ottawa Monday night.
MacInnes' wife fought back tears as she hugged her husband for the first time in months.
"We don't want to spread it on them when their away because they go through their own stuff, but it's really hard when their not there. I mean, life is just not the same," said Claudine MacInnes. "I'm glad he's home."
This is the first return of several Petawawa-based troops. Soldiers from the eastern Ontario base will be retuning home over the next couple of months.
The Third Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Provincial Reconstruction Team will rotate home in April.