The first wave of more than 7,000 Schofield Barracks soldiers who deployed to Iraq last summer is returning home.

About 194 soldiers from the 45th Sustainment Brigade, including personnel from HHC & B Detachment 45th Special Troops Battalion and C Detachment 556th Personnel Services Battalion, are scheduled to return Tuesday, Schofield officials announced yesterday.

They, along with about 175 soldiers from the 45th Sustainment Brigade who returned this past Tuesday, make up the first major group of Schofield troops to come back from a deployment in Iraq that began last summer. Officials will hold homecoming ceremonies for the soldiers Tuesday at Wheeler Army Airfield.

"Everybody is glad that these soldiers (are returning) home safely and we're looking forward to the (25th Infantry) Division soldiers coming back as well," said Lt. Col. Vi Strong, public affairs officer for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command.

Twenty-eight Schofield soldiers have been killed since July on the deployment to northern Iraq. Five Schofield soldiers were killed in a single week this month. The 45th Sustainment Brigade did not suffer any casualties, a Schofield spokesperson said.

About 500 soldiers from the 45th Sustainment Brigade deployed to Iraq last summer. The rest of the 45th Sustainment Brigade soldiers are expected to return in August, a Schofield official said.

The 45th Sustainment Brigade soldiers were responsible for logistics throughout Multi-national Division North, and the returning soldiers were deployed to Qayyarah West airfield, or "Q-West," in Iraq, Schofield officials said.

The deployment for most of the 7,000 Schofield soldiers has been extended from a year to 15 months, ending in the fall.

Businesses in the Wahiawa area are pleased to see the soldiers return.

"Of course, this is good news not only for their families, but for the people in the Wahiawa area," said Charlie Ota, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i's vice president for military affairs. "They're getting back to normal. Anytime a brigade goes out ... the town hurts because of the loss of patronage by soldiers and their families. And in many cases the families go back to the Mainland to be close to their own families."

With soldiers coming home, "it's bringing life back to the town," he said.

Ota said having this lead group return is an indication that more soldiers are preparing to come back. But he noted that many soldiers' tours have been extended to end later this year.

Wahiawa Neighborhood Board Chairman Ben Acohido welcomed the safe return of the soldiers.

"It's good to have them come back, even in small numbers," said Acohido, adding that the community is looking forward to the return of the rest of the soldiers. "It's the beginning of the return of the division.

"It's going to be a reunification of soldiers and their families who were left behind. In that sense, that's great. In another sense, the troops are going to need some decompression time after serving in a hazardous area.

"Wahiawa really looks kindly to the military community. Our sons and daughters have served in the military; our folks have worked for the military. So we have a close affiliation."

A Schofield Stryker brigade — 3,900 to 4,000 men and women — will deploy to Iraq later this year, possibly for as long as 15 months.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.