Cape Girardeau National Guard Unit arrives home after 10-month deployment in Kuwait

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. (KBSI) – Local National Guard Unit of Cape Girardeau arrives home from deployment.  

Families happy to see their soldiers’ boots on the ground in front of them.

Alot of hugs were shared and a lot of tears were shed today after a Cape Girardeau National Guard Unit that had been deployed to Kuwait in June of 2024 has come home, arriving in Cape Girardeau a little after 2:00 pm on Thursday March 20, 2025, at Cape Regional Airport. 

The Cape Girardeau National Guard 1140th Engineer Battalion Unit was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield, 143 soldiers were deployed.

Captain Rebecca Jo Peters and Staff Seargeant Victoria Busche were part of the unit that returned home today.

These brave women not only soldiers but moms who after 10 long months got to hug their children for the first time.

Both saying catching up on family time is top priority.

“Ya know just missing the big holidays with the kids and the family, took a toll on us” says Peters.

“Definitely spend tons of time with my family and my kids and make up for all the lost time we didn’t have together and that will obviously be no problem, because we have so many things planned, were so excited” says Busche. 

Moms, dads, husbands and wife’s, families all reunited after months overseas.

Staff Seargeant Busche says she’s just happy to be home. 

“It is just such an overwhelming feeling of just excitement and anxiousness and adjustment, just all the emotions, so overwhelming, just so happy, so glad to be home for sure” says Busche.