Last Springfield Guard Members Returning From Middle East

The last Illinois National Guard members deployed to the Middle East are returning home.  Officials say the drawdown of troops in the Middle East is ahead of schedule after nearly 20 years of the nation being at war there.  Illinois suffered its worst troop losses during a 2008-2009 deployment, with 18 of the state’s guard members dying in combat in the hotly contested zone.  Officials say deployments to other areas will continue to be part of the experience for guard members.