SOUTH BEND — A group of about 50 Marines Reserves are returning home from a seven-month deployment to Afghanistan Friday, Feb. 8.

The Marines are riding buses, which are being escorted by local law enforcement agencies and firefighters.

The Marines are from Engineer Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, based in South Bend.

Their missions while deployed focused largely on conducting convoy operations, assisting in demilitarization of forward operating bases, and providing security throughout their area of operations, according to a press release from the Engineer Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion in South Bend.

The route the Marines are following goes through Goshen, heading north on U.S. 33 and then west on the U.S. 20 Bypass. They are heading to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Units base. Families and friends of the Marines are waiting to welcome the Marines, who were scheduled to arrive at about 1:30 p.m.