DECATUR - When Sgt. 1st Class Peter Wilke stepped off the bus into the warm sunlight, he saw a sight he had been daydreaming about for a year.

Eight members of the Wilke family, headed by his wife, Stacy, stood outside the armory drill floor, eagerly waiting their soldier's return. His two sons, Gavin and Keaton, were decked out in lightweight jackets he had sent them for Christmas, emblazoned with a large map of Kosovo and the designation, "Kosovo Peacemakers."

There was time for a few hugs before a short welcome home ceremony inside, followed by a longer family reunion.

"I do have a wonderful family and a very supportive wife," Wilke said. "I don't like to leave. I don't want to leave. It's an incredible work load on Stacy. I have a sweet wife who takes care of me, even when I'm halfway around the planet."

Wilke, 41, was among about 150 members of the Illinois National Guard's 106th Aviation Regiment, who returned to the state Saturday, after a yearlong deployment, including 10 months in Kosovo.

About 30 soldiers, mostly members of Decatur-based Delta Company, were cheered by about 100 family members at the National Guard Armory on the city's east side. Other regiment members returned to armories in Peoria and Chicago.

Wilke, a full-time National Guard helicopter technician employed in Decatur, was in charge of a maintenance shop in Kosovo, repairing and maintaining mostly 30-year-old helicopters.

He said the helicopters the 106th worked on transported soldiers and officials, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Maj. Gen. Dennis Celletti, assistant adjutant general for the Illinois Army National Guard, was on hand to welcome the 106th home, including his son, Capt. Jason Celletti.

Dennis Celletti said the Illinois Guard was part of a larger U.S. military force, which worked alongside 27 other nations, to ensure the independence of Kosovo. Formerly a Serbian province, Kosovo became an independent nation in early 2008.

Dennis Celletti, who visited Kosovo in December, said besides providing military support to the emerging nation, members of the 106th have provided help for orphanages and schools.

Jason Celletti of Springfield, an administrator and pilot, said the 106th did a lot of VIP missions, flying government officials around the nation. The soldiers also used their Black Hawk helicopters to help extinguish wild fires.

Jason Celletti, a member of the Peoria-based Headquarters Company, commended Delta Company, which specializes in helicopter maintenance.

"Delta Company had one of the best maintenance records in all Europe," he said.

Spc. Seth Floyd, 24, of Decatur, said he was impressed with the young people of Kosovo, who have a strong work ethic and a strong desire to study and learn.

"As a battalion, we volunteered in a few schools," Floyd said. "Most of the students knew English. A lot of them spoke as well or better than people here."

Floyd said the Kosovars embraced the Americans for supporting them.

"They realized we were there helping them get started," Floyd said. "They have some of the same ideas on freedom, people who want to have their own country, to suit their own beliefs. It's an awesome thing to see the birth of a brand-new nation.

"February was the first Independence Day (anniversary) they ever had. They declared it Feb. 17, 2008."