Homecoming for the 1461st.

Jackson is glad to welcome back the 1461st National Guard unit, after the troops spent a year in Iraq.

Fire trucks, police escort, and a biker lead-off that was mighty impressive.

The Transportation Company came back in style - Jackson residents lined up from West Ave. to Michigan Ave. and down North Jackson to the county fairgrounds for a 2 p.m. homecoming.

Whether or not you support the war, you can't help but feel grateful for their return - and you can't escape the sense that these were the lucky ones.

Jackson being what it is - the birthplace of the Republican Party and all - I'm sure there were many war supporters in the crowd. But nationalism be damned, you can't help but feel patriotic when you see a bus load of kids my age returning from a war that doesn't have to drag on this long.

It hasn't been since World War II that we've defended any kind of freedom: never since has America been in any real danger, besides the Cold War. And so it doesn't make a lot of sense to me why we should send National Guard troops to a mismanaged war zone. To die.

But a protest had no place at today's parade.

At work, we took American flags and handed them out to families and spectator's along the parade's route, and we were welcomed the whole way.

Head here for more pictures.

Welcome back, troops.