Sen. Jim Banks, R-Columbia City, returned to the Statehouse Wednesday after serving several months of military service in Afghanistan.
The Indiana Senate chamber greeted him with a standing ovation when he arrived Wednesday morning.
Banks, an officer in the Navy reserve, deployed last September for an eight-month mission to Afghanistan.
He says the support he received from his colleagues in the Senate meant a lot to him as he spent time so far from home.
"There were difficult days; days when I wondered if this experience will ever come to an end," Banks says. "And it was during those tough days that I received messages from you, letters from you, the most unique care packages I received my entire time in Afghanistan came from you."
Banks also thanked his colleagues for serving with his wife, Amanda, who filled his seat during the session. Banks says he is on active duty for another week.