Welcome Home Ceremony Tonight in Toccoa for Returning National Guard Unit

Troops from the National Guard 876th Engineering Company based in Toccoa are returning home just in time for Christmas.

The 876th Engineering Company deployed to Afghanistan during the late Spring and early Summer, receiving a send-off in Stephens County in May.

Nearly 110 Guardsmen are expected to return tonight and this Christmas will mark the first Christmas in 13 years that no units from the Georgia Army National Guard are deployed over the holidays.

That said, about 40 individual Georgia Army National Guardsmen volunteered to remain deployed over Christmas and augment non-Georgia units overseas.

876th Engineering Company Family Readiness Group Chair Amanda Isreal said a special welcome home ceremony is planned for this evening at Stephens County High School.  Everyone who wishes, is invited to attend to welcome the soldiers home.

Guests are asked to arrive closer to 5:30 p.m.

Again, the “coming home” ceremony for the 876th Engineering Company is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. tonight at Stephens County High School and again the public is invited, but encouraged to arrive early.