Forty-two Georgia Guardsmen, who spent the past year assisting border patrol agents in stopping undocumented aliens from crossing into New Mexico and the U.S., have returned home.

The Georgia Guardsmen have been among the 150 who deployed in July 2006 to help secure the 180-mile border separating New Mexico and Mexico. The overall Georgia support will continue on through next summer.

The Soldiers, who arrived Wednesday, Aug 29 at Joint Forces Headquarters, spent their first day back being debriefed and finishing administrative and medical issues. Their second day found them turning in they equipment they’d been issued for the mission before joining their families for Labor Day weekend.