A local soldier got a special surprise as he returned home from Iraq this evening.

Major Rodel Pasibe came home to a flood of friends and family at the Dothan Regional Airport, after spending the past 8 months in Iraq.

Pasiba told News 4, his first priority is catching up with his wife and children.

"Spend quality time with each one of them one by one take it slow and adjust to the family instead of the family adjusting to me i think that's most important, he said."

The Major went on to say, he's looking forward to his new assignment on Fort Rucker and being closer to home.