The men of the Maine Army National Guard’s 152nd Field Artillery Battalion are active-duty soldiers no more. As of Sunday afternoon, they are once again husbands, brothers and sons; college students, social workers and farm laborers.

With a call of “dismissed” that could barely be heard above the joyous din of the hundreds of friends and family members who packed the Bangor Civic Center, these 112 men’s service in Iraq drew to a close.

The crowd surged forward in a whirl of tears and flags and best Sunday dresses. Those first hugs lasted minutes, not seconds, as mothers clutched their sons as though they would never let go, and wives reached up to touch their husbands’ faces, perhaps convincing themselves that the long-awaited moment was real.

These young guardsmen, the vast majority of whom had never before served overseas, had walked into one of the most difficult situations imaginable – guarding the infamous Abu Ghraib prison after allegations of prisoner abuse by former guards surfaced.

It was, as one guardsman in the 152nd said, the best and worst year of their lives.

“Regardless of what was going on, they stood strong. They did their job,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Tash of Hodgdon.

Tash served eight months in Iraq with the 152nd, then flew home in September after the death of his young son in an automobile accident.

On Sunday, he was among the first to welcome home his troops.

“They’ll be telling their grandchildren about this,” Tash said, moments before the men walked back into their families’ lives. “I’ve got butterflies just being here.”

Many of the families who spilled into the lobby of the Civic Center hadn’t seen the men of the 152nd for 13 long months. As the time of reunion drew nearer, time seemed to slow down for many of these National Guard families.

“I haven’t been sleeping much,” said Peggy Gilmer of Presque Isle, awaiting the return of her husband, Terry, on Sunday. “I started counting the hours.”

Tina Babbin of Fort Kent walked into the Civic Center Sunday afternoon with an antsy tabby cat in tow. The cat, known as H.P., was an Iraqi stray, adopted by the unit as its mascot at Abu Ghraib, then flown home to Maine a few weeks ago.

Babbin soothed the frightened cat while she waited for her fiance, Jesse Cote of Caribou, to walk off the plane.

“I’m proud that he went there, but it’s just time to come home and get back to a normal life,” said Babbit, who plans to marry Cote in the summer of 2006.

Lori DeMerchant of Caribou spent the Sunday trying to calm her three small children, dancing around with excitement that their dad, Kent, was finally coming home. She has missed her husband but knew he would serve, and serve well, if the 152nd was called, she said.

“If he’s asked to do something, he’s going to do it 100 percent or more,” DeMerchant said.

Three past state commanders of the Maine Veterans of Foreign Wars fulfilled a pact they made last January when they watched the 152nd deploy for Iraq.

Veterans of the Korean and Vietnam eras, the men place a tremendous value on giving those who have served in Iraq a grateful welcome.

“They were kids,” said Peter Merburg of Caribou. “We’re watching them coming back as men. … Wherever these young soldiers are, we’re going to be there to greet them.”

There’s no question that the members of the 152nd got a warm welcome as they traveled to their homes all over the state Sunday. Snowbanks along Interstate 95 were spray-painted with messages, and several small towns in Aroostook County had planned big celebrations and motorcades to mark hometown boys’ safe return.

The excitement started building hours before the troops appeared, with the announcement that their flight had landed, eliciting screams and chants of “One-five-two, we love you.”

The room was still electric when the men, holding fast to their wives’ and children’s hands, walked out of the Bangor Civic Center and back into civilian life.

“Oh, my God, … they made it!,” exclaimed a mother from Limestone and a wife from Presque Isle, embracing in the lobby.

The 152nd made it home, and at kitchen tables all over Maine, that’s all that matters this morning.