Families, Former OU Coach Greet Returning Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers

Families of returning troops greeted their loved ones in Oklahoma City Saturday as a number of Oklahoma National Guard soldiers made it home safely.

Nearly 2,200 Oklahoma Army National Guard members from the 45th Infantry were deployed to Afghanistan in June, and they are in various stages of de-mobilization. National Guard officials say more than 300 brigade members are returning on Saturday and Sunday.

A football coaching legend also helped greet the soldiers as they returned from deployments in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

National Guard officials say former University of Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer and his wife, Becky, were on hand as the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived Saturday morning at the Army Aviation hangar at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base.

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Officials say another 800 members deployed to Kuwait at the same time and also are making their way back to Oklahoma.