TUPELO - The roar of motorcycles and a sea of red, white and blue welcomed members of the 658th Quartermaster Unit back to Mississippi soil on Sunday.

Twenty-eight members of the U.S. Army Reserve unit deployed for Iraq last March and returned home on Sunday. A host of family, friends, veterans and public officials were on hand to welcome them home.

The bus carrying the supply unit members was led into Tupelo by a motorcyle parade, led by the Mississippi Highway Patrol as well as members of the American Legion Riders. After getting off the bus and returning equipment to the unit, the soldiers greeted their families and friends with hugs and tears.

Among those were Sgt. Wayne Easterling and his wife, Candice, who shared a tearful embrace.

"It's been tough, but we made it," Candice said of her husband's year-long deployment. Wayne came home for two weeks in November to celebrate his birthday, and that was the only time she had seen him in a year. "I'm just glad God blessed him and brought him home safe."

"It's been really exciting," Wayne said of his homecoming. "The best part was getting to hug her. The second-best part was seeing all those motorcycles."

Welcome home

The unit was welcomed home by Tupelo Mayor Jack Reed Jr.

"Welcome home to your city," he said. "We are proud of you."

Drew Robertson, northern regional director for U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, spoke on Wicker's behalf.

"Job well done, and welcome home," he said. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for your personal courage."

The unit will take three months off before returning to work or school, but those three months mostly will be spent readjusting to being back home.

As for the Easterlings, they're headed to Disney World.

"As cheesy as it is to say it, we're going," Wayne said, laughing. "That is going to mark our 10-year anniversary."