Fort Hood homecoming is bittersweet

FORT HOOD, Texas (KXAN) - The homecoming at Fort Hood Tuesday night was bittersweet as 295 soldiers returned home from a year-long deployment in Iraq.

The soldiers from the First Cavalry Division are the first to return to Fort Hood since the Nov. 6 shootings that killed 13 and wounded 30 others.

The soldiers arrived on buses and exited out of sight of their families. The buses rolled away to reveal the soldiers behind them, to which the crowd of hundreds of family members let out a loud roar.

"It is really surreal seeing your loved one, the person that you love, for the first time in months," said Janelle Casson.

Her husband, Sgt. Justin Casson, is returning from his third deployment. Justin heard about the shooting on post while he was in Iraq. His wife and three children live on Fort Hood.

"I'm very glad they're safe," said Justin, with tears in his eyes.

"It really does bring back that security for me and my family," said Janelle. "Having that security taken away from us for a little while, it brings him back home and makes us feel a little more secure again."

The celebration at Cooper Field Tuesday night was as joyful as the last six days have been somber.

A total of 60 more soldiers from the First Cavalry will return home Friday.