The family members will join about 900 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regimen who have just finished a seven-month deployment in Hadigha, Iraq, one of the hotbeds of the country's insurgency.

In all, 23 battalion members were killed in the latest deployment, which saw the last of the troops return home last week.

For many of the family members invited to participate, it will be their first time in Hawai'i, but more importantly their first time to connect with some of the Kane'ohe Marines who fought alongside their sons, grandsons, brothers and sisters, officials said.

"It will be a chance for the Marines and families to meet face-to-face for the first time," said Lt. Tin Nguyen, the battalion's training officer, who has been working since January to coordinate this morning's event. "They'll get to see the people, hear about the places they were, get a taste of how they train and how they live day to day."