LAPEER, Mich. -- Dozens of Mid-Michigan soldiers have returned home from Afghanistan just in time for the holidays.

About 130 men and women from the Lapeer County-based Army National Guard 464th Quartermaster Company returned Sunday night after spending the last eight months overseas.

More than 300 friends and relatives greeted the soldiers as they arrived at the Guard's Lapeer armory.

They included Stephen Moon of Grayling, who proposed to his girlfriend, Spc. Megan Heinlen of Stanton, and presented her with an engagement ring. Heinlen accepted the proposal from Moon, who served in Iraq in 2004-2005.

While Heinlen was sweating and serving the country, her boyfriend of two years had sweaty palms trying to figure out how to propose.

“We talked about marriage before and I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it,” Moon said. “I was in the bathroom and one of the sergeant majors walked in and saw me dusting off the ring box -- and said are you going to do it in front of the company.”

It was an order he couldn’t refuse and more than 100 of Heinlen’s comrades watched as she was asked for her hand in marriage.

“I couldn’t speak at that point,” said Heinlen. “I was so excited.”

Moon and Heinlen’s courtship started two years ago in the same place it ended, their National Guard unit.

“Everyone said, ‘did she say yes?’” said Moon. “The company commander got up and said, ‘she said yes.’”

Following the commander’s announcement, the couple was greeted with applause and cheers.

Heinlen said she has plans to study science and her fiancée is supporting her all the way.

The couple said they are looking forward to starting a life together as husband and wife.