Update: Weather delays soldiers' return by 1 hour

Libby and Troy soldiers from the Montana Army National Guard’s 639th Quartermaster Company are scheduled to return home Thursday night after a yearlong tour in Iraq.

Tom Steber, Montana National Guard public affairs officer, said Thursday morning that because of poor weather conditions, the 639th's return was expected to be delayed by one hour. The soldiers' plane was originally scheduled to land at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Helena at 4 p.m., but that has been pushed back to approximately 5 p.m.

After landing, plans called for soldiers to load onto buses with the expected arrival at the armory in Libby between 9 and 11 p.m. Based on the weather, the homecoming could be pushed back into the 10 p.m. to midnight range.

Locals are planning to welcome the soldiers back home tonight with flashing fire engines and a fireworks display.