VIRGINIA BEACH -- Dozens of local National Guardsmen returned to Hampton Roads Thursday afternoon.

The 50 members of the Norfolk-based A Troop 2nd Squadron, 183rd Calvary came home to Camp Pendleton after eight months away.

Family members described the time apart as “hard” and “depressing,” but Thursday, every Guardsmen who left for the Middle East last September came home. Not one of the 50 2nd Squadron Guardsmen was lost or wounded.

“We got over there, did what we were supposed to do, got back safely,” said SPC Daryl Jones. “No one got hurt, so, mission complete.”

That was despite operating daily on both sides of the Iraq border, conducting 900 combat patrols and protecting over 2,000 coalition convoys.

“We made things happen, came back home, and it’s a wrap,” said SPC David Cochran. “Time to go back to the civilian world.”

Finally, with their mission complete, the soldiers were dismissed to reunite with anxious family members.

“Honestly, the sacrifices that have been put forth aren’t by us. The sacrifices have been by my wife and my children,” said SFC Randy Baker. “I can’t begin to imagine the hells that they went through waiting for us.”

The remaining 350 or so National Guard soldiers from the Portsmouth-based Headquarters Troop, the Suffolk-based B Troop and the Virginia Beach- based C Troop are due home on Saturday.