INDIANAPOLIS -- Loud cheers greeted the return of Indiana National Guard soldiers who spent 10 months in Afghanistan helping farmers improve the production and marketing of their crops.

Hundreds of family members and friends welcomed the 63 members of the 1-19th Agribusiness Development Team as they marched early Wednesday into a hangar at Stout Field in Indianapolis, 6News' Stacia Matthews reported.

The flight was scheduled to come in shortly after midnight, but it was delayed until 4:30 a.m., with many families sleeping the hangar overnight.

But when the troops marched in, there was no lack of energy.

"We just couldn't wait," said Cathy Cummings, who drove from Evansville to surprise her daughter, Lt. Melissa Gutzweilder, at the ceremony. "We've just been so depressed with her being gone. She's missed so many holidays and she's missed so many times with grandma … Now it's finally here."

Unit members said they felt good about their mission helping the Afghan people.

"For us to help them, we had to understand what they do. They also had to understand what we were trying to do," said Sgt. Mark Frettinger. "It was worth it."

The soldiers will be at Camp Atterbury for debriefing through the beginning of next week.

Even though they missed having the holidays with their families, the soldiers said they're just happy to be home.

"It feels good. It feels good to be home," said Sgt. Sean Tharp. "There's no place like Indiana."