Hugs, Tears, Even A Marriage Proposal At Welcome Home Ceremony For Oklahoma National Guard

Hundreds of relatives and friends eagerly welcomed about 170 members of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team back to Oklahoma City Thursday.

The soldiers arrived at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base around 10 a.m. The happy, eager crowd laughed and cheered as the military men and women walked into the hangar.

The soldiers are returning home after a tour in Afghanistan and Kuwait. They've been gone for about a year.

Army medic Spc. Bethany Pierce was among the soldiers who returned home Thursday. She was greeted by her boyfriend, Sgt. Warren Fairleigh, who is also a member of the 45th Infantry and returned home from his deployment last week.

Just seconds after the two embraced, Sgt. Fairleigh dropped to one knee and proposed. Spc. Pierce quickly said yes. The couple said they plan to get married as soon as possible.

About 1,400 members of the 45th are still deployed. They're expected to return home by April 1.

News 9's Darren Brown was at the welcome home ceremony and will have more tonight on News 9 at Five.