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COLORADO SPRINGS,COLO. -- More than 300 soldiers celebrated their safe return to the Mountain Post Wednesday afternoon.

The soldiers are with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division.

They returned to Fort Carson after spending about 12 months in deployed in Iraq.

The soldiers were greeted with cheers from friends and families anxious to be reunited.

"It's awesome, especially when you come in and see all the families here to support all the troops. It makes it all worth it for the year to be over," said Ian Willett.

The crowd and soldiers spent a moment in silence remembering the six U.S. troops killed Wednesday in Afghanistan.

Then it was all celebration of their own safe return.

"Words can't really describe right now," said Crystal Willett, Ian's wife. "It's amazing. We've been waiting for this for so long."

"Seeing my wife and kids, this is what I was looking forward to most," Ian Willett said.

He says he's been counting down this moment since he started the trip home four days ago, but that didn't stop him from sleeping Tuesday night.

As for his wife, she was up almost all night anticipating his return.

"I was up vacuuming at like five [o' clock] this morning," Crystal said.

And now that Ian Willet is home, he's looking forward to enjoying some of the simpler things.

"I'm going to get a pizza, take a shower, and drink a beer," he said.

There are about 3,800 soldiers in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. The remainder of them will return to Fort Carson throughout the next month.