About 70 soldiers are returning from deployment in Afghanistan tonight.
The 18th rotation of the NZ Provincial Reconstruction team will be greeted by family, friends, defence force staff and media at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Ohakea base around 6.50pm tonight.
About 70 members of the 1st Battalian Royal New Zealand Infantry regiment and support units are returning from service in Bamyan, Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh McAslan said the soldiers' time overseas had been a challenging but enjoyable one.
"The fact Bamyan was selected to be the first province in Afghanistan to hold a ceremony signifying the commencement of transition is in itself testimony to the combined efforts of the people of Bamyan and the NZ Defence Force's efforts over the past eight years."
