Nebraska National Guard’s post-Hurricane Milton deployment cut short

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The Nebraska National Guard’s mission in Florida was canceled over the weekend.

Gov. Jim Pillen announced Tuesday that the Guard was called off after Florida officials reassessed the damage from Hurricane Milton.

About 150 soldiers and airmen from Nebraska were deployed Thursday and were expected to be gone for about two weeks.

But Saturday morning, they received word that they were no longer needed.

It’s not clear whether the Guard had arrived in Florida yet.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska Task Force One returning home after helping with Helene, Milton response

The service members returned to Nebraska and were released on Monday.

Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, Nebraska’s adjutant general, said Milton’s damage was “not as catastrophic” as feared.

“However, the willingness of our Nebraska National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to put their lives on hold and volunteer to support their neighbors in Florida says a tremendous amount about these individuals and their commitment to remaining ready and agile when disasters strike,” Strong said in a press release.