Friends and family hurried to the National Guard Armory in Austin Friday and gathered around the front of the building. Word had got around: They’d be early.

The color guard arrived shortly before the motorcade on a brilliantly sunny day just after noon. Police cars and fire engines honked their horns, flashed lights and filed in one by one to the armory’s frontage road. The crowd of about 40 people cheered and whooped along the side of the road as the bus unloaded, waving little American flags in the air.

One by one, nine National Guard soldiers filed off the coach bus, the last step in their year-long deployment to Kuwait. The soldiers arrived about half an hour after a group of Albert Lea soldiers were dropped off.

Josh Merritt was one of the soldiers deployed in July last year.

“He’s been calling and he’s been on Skype,” said his step-father Jeff Decoux, saying it would be exciting to have him back.

The family found out just over a week ago that Merritt was returning home.

“With all the waves coming home, we didn’t know which one he’d be on,” said David Granholm, Merritt’s grandfather. “It’s a nice birthday present.”

Merritt turned 21 on Thursday, the day before he returned. As they awaited his return, his family said he’s probably excited to see his Austin friends.

“I’m sure he just wants to get together with his buddies,” Granholm said.

In addition to returning home, Merritt had another birthday gift waiting; one he had bought himself from overseas. The large, shiny new pickup truck was waiting for him in the parking lot at the armory.

“He sent the money and had us go get it,” Granholm said.

The mood was upbeat as families embraced their returned husbands and wives, sons and daughters. The soldiers themselves seemed pleased to be back.

“This was my third time deploying,” said Specialist Drew Wendorf. “Always feels good to be back.”

Specialist Blaine Edwards agreed with the sentiment. He said he felt an increased sense of freedom after returning from a year in Kuwait. While originally set between Friday and Monday, the group’s flight was bumped up, he said. The news was a nice surprise.

“We found out two days before we left,” Edwards said.

As for Edwards’ big plans coming back, he said they were simply to “get a job.”

Several troops from Tuesday’s return group were there to welcome their fellow National Guard.

The soldiers, which were from a variety of units, were stationed at Camp Buehring in Kuwait and helped with Operation New Dawn, which was the final draw-down of weapons and troops from Iraq. The group’s mission changed several times from providing security at the base and to convoys in and out of Iraq and even training to become a Mobile Reactionary Force.

Nearly 3,000 Minnesota soldiers, the largest deployment of the state’s soldiers since World War II, have been returning this week.

—Kelli Lageson contributed to this report.