140 Fort Carson soldiers return home

140 soldiers from the 4 th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4 th Infantry Division returned home Thursday.

Families and friends welcomed the soldiers during a homecoming ceremony at Fort Carson’s special events center.

The troops were deployed for nine months in Afghanistan.

Allyssa Kinzel waited for her husband to come home. She gave birth to their daughter in June, while her husband was deployed.

“I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see the look on his face,” Kinzel said. “It’s going to be very special.”

Some families couldn’t wait to celebrate holidays together.

“We were actually planning on having Thanksgiving as a family tonight,” Liza Alipio said as she welcomed home her husband, PJ.

Others couldn’t wait to start making memories as a family.

“I honestly have no words for it,” Pfc. Jake Kinzel said as he held his daughter for the first time. “I’ve seen her on Skype, and in pictures, but it doesn’t compare to how beautiful she really is. I’m so happy to be home right now.”

While deployed, the brigade was responsible for areas in southern Afghanistan. They led training missions with Afghan National Security Forces.