KALAELOA — The screams of joy were ear-piercing inside the hangar yesterday as 209 members of the Hawai'i Army National Guard's 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned home.

They were the first of several waves of men and women coming back to the Islands after a year away training at Fort Hood, Texas, and serving in Kuwait, doing administrative and security work at the bases there.

For each family, yesterday's reunion was a special moment as the National Guard soldiers broke ranks and received their first hug or kiss in a long time.

The Tabaquin family arrived at 1 p.m. yesterday, certain that their father and husband had arrived earlier. With their face-splitting smiles, they brought a hand-made, life-sized cardboard cutout of a soldier dressed in fatigues with the face of Sgt. 1st Class Mario Tabaquin pasted on top.

"We're just glad he's home," said one of Taba-quin's three daughters, Kathleen. "I never thought growing up that he'd have to go to war, let alone twice."

With a big hug and a kiss for each of his daughters and his wife, Tabaquin wasn't about to let his youngest daughter go.

"It's been quite a while since I've seen them," Taba-quin said. "R&R was in December."

Families arrived throughout the day at the Kalaeloa hangar, loaded with lei, posters and anticipation.

Kristen Aspera just brought hugs and kisses. She won a raffle that gave her the first kiss.

Isaac Aspera had no idea, but was happy to comply. The couple, married only three years, didn't even get to celebrate their wedding anniversary together in July. Now they can make up for lost time.

"My mom bought 20 tickets," said Kristen. "I just got here, and then they called my name. He didn't know."

Her husband, Isaac, said he "was just glad to see my wife again."

Today, another 400 men and women from the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team return home — some of the 1,700 Hawai'i-based soldiers coming back via chartered planes, said Lt. Col. Charles Anthony, spokesman for the Hawai'i Air and Army National Guard.

Nineteen of the soldiers who arrived yesterday still faced one more flight as they headed home to Maui, Anthony said.

Kuwait duty is relatively safe, but deaths and injuries have occurred — as was the case with the Feb. 19 single-vehicle accident that killed Spc. Cwislyn K. Walter, 19, a 2007 Farrington High graduate, and injured three other soldiers.

Yesterday, Juvi Carlos helped hold a banner for her cousin, Spc. Wienee DeGuzman, and DeGuzman's husband, Spc. Nelson DeGuzman.

While the DeGuzmans were stationed in Kuwait, Carlos and her family took care of their 3-year-daughter, Kiara Leigh DeGuzman.

"It's a scary thing, but they had to do it," Carlos said. "Everyone's been scared for them, but they got to talk to their daughter via webcam daily."

When the DeGuzmans met up with their family yesterday, they couldn't keep their hands off of Kiara as Nelson held her tightly in the crook of his arm.

"It's great to be home," Nelson said. "It feels so good."