Today, 56 men and women boarded a plane en route to Afghanistan.

And in a final speech before takeoff, their battalion commander informed them that 56 troops would return home, eleven months later.

Lt. Col. Kevin Meisler went on to tell the 257 battalion to stay focused and move smart.

The troops nodded quietly, and there were occasional whistles and cheers as the commander talked.

The troops boarded the Sierra Pacific charter plane around 1:30 p.m. today. Some had waited quietly, while others chatted.

Once on the plane, they continued to talk and encourage each other. Moments before the plane took off, the chaplain said a prayer.

Around 2 p.m. the plane took off, carrying the soldiers away from their homes and loved ones.

The first stop on the battalion's journey will be El Paso, Texas...then on to Afghanistan.