7 4 9 t h C o m b a t Su s t a i n m e n t S u p p o r t B a t t a l i o n

“The Lifeline of Battle”

The Goldminer
Volume 1, Issue 1 Welcome to the New BN Newsletter! 1st Quarter FY2011

The 749th CSSB, formerly the

Upcoming Events:
 10 –12 SEPT Drill
 12 SEPT YELLOW
RIBBON EVENT
 12 OCT DRILL/AT
(PLEASE SEE DRILL
SECTION)
 12 OCT-6 NOV CAMP
ROBERTS
 12 NOV Farewell Ceremony
 13 NOV TVL FT HOOD
 13 NOV-17 DEC FT HOOD
 17 DEC FLY TO KUWAIT
749th Maintenance battalion,
is one of the few remaining
units in the CAARNG that can
trace its lineage back to when
it was part of the old 49th In-
fantry Division. This division,
also known as the "49er divi-
sion" had a Gold-miner pan-
ning for gold on its shoulder
patch and unit flags. This im-
age represented the Gold Rush
history of Northern California.
The Goldminer logo and the nickname Goldminers connects the battalion to
its past service with the 49th Infantry Division as well as the California Gold
rush days.

Training….. Training….. and you got it - more training!

We have been spending a lot of time at the Camp Roberts Training Area; a former U.S. Army
base in central California, which sits on both sides of the Salinas River in Monterey and San
Luis Obispo counties and is named after Harold W. Roberts, a World War I Medal of Honor
Inside This Issue:
recipient. It is here that we have training for deployment. Camp Roberts provided Combat
Lifesaver (CLS), Driver, Radio Communications, Combative, Anti-terrorism, Rollover and
Commander & CSM 2 Weapons Training during T4T for 38 of the 78 Service Members preparing to Mobilize to Iraq.
Chaplain Corner 2 This set the stage for Annual Training (AT) 6
August-27 August where the remaining Ser-
Welcome to 749TH! 2
vice Members had the opportunity to train.
Yellow Ribbon Event 3 During this 3 week AT, those Soldiers that
Congratulations! 3 trained in July will have the opportunity to set-
749TH Readiness 4 tle into their new sections for deployment. All
troops will be returning to Camp Roberts in
Family Readiness Group 4
October for a second 3 week AT coupled with
Snapshot Soldier 5 an adjoining drill totaling nearly 4 weeks of
Training Pics 6 training prior to their movement to Ft. Hood.
With 100% success in training the troops, the
Birthdays 6
749TH CSSB will be Army Strong once they
hit the sandbox in December in order to sup-
port Operation New Dawn.

WANTED: Your pictures! Please send any pictures you take 1

during training to sheila.babot@ng.army.mil
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BN Commander & CSM Notes

LTC David A. Ceniti & CSM Paulo K. Vaka
Goldminer Battalion, congratulations on an
outstanding pre-mobilization annual training
exercise this past August. The headquarters
and the staff performed superbly. Our training
has without question established the 749th
CSSB as the premier support battalion in the
California Army National Guard. No other
logistics formation has the functions and capa-
bilities to command and control sustainment
operations like we do. This is a credit to you,
the Soldiers of the 749th CSSB, who live up to
the motto “Lifeline of Battle”. The operations tempo now through our
actual mobilization day is high as we will conduct staff exercises and
command posts exercises at Camp Roberts and Ft Hood. Furthermore,
many of our fellow Soldiers are currently attending required training at
various Army garrisons nationwide in preparation for the deployment.
Although the training we are about to enter into will be both rigorous
and challenging I have a high level of confidence that each of you will
exceed that standard. There are very few days remaining before we go
back to Camp Roberts and depart for Fort Hood. I strongly encourage
everyone to take care of business at home in order to prepare your-
selves and your family for our deployment. Also, take time to spend
some quality time with your family as well as consider your plans for
your mid-tour leave. Maybe take that trip to Hawaii you have always
talked about. Start planning now, you will be glad that you did. Re-
member mission first, Soldiers and families always! Lastly, a note on
communication. Keep your chain of command informed at all times.
Keep your Soldiers in the loop. High performance organizations com-
municate well thorough out the chain of command. Your efforts at
effective communication will reduce stress and make the challenges of
mobilization less challenging.
For the last two months, I have wit-
nessed so many people step up to the
plate, put their differences aside and
work together as a team. We are not
quite there yet, but at least we have
an idea who we’re working with,
who is going to be our Warrior Com-
panion, scratch that…BATTLE
BUDDY is and so on. I know it is
getting close to our projected deploy-
ment dates; however, we still have
quite a few training requirements, briefings and training
obstacles we have to complete. I know most of you still
have the deployment packing list that was distributed last
month and if you don’t have a copy please contact your
squad leader or immediate supervisor today. I am sorry I
won’t be there for the Battalion Yellow Ribbon events for
our friends and families; CSM Waterhouse will be the
BN CSM during my absence. Please take some time to
introduce yourself and your family; CSM Waterhouse
will be an integral part of our operations as well as taking
care of Soldiers and their families. Until then, spend qual-
ity time with your family and loved ones.

Chaplains’ Corner CHAPLAIN DURHAM, DANA

Almighty God, We thank you that you
have enabled us to serve our Country
in Iraq. Care for our families and
keep them strong. Thank you for the
wisdom and experience of our BN. It
is a gift to be brought together in a
way that will enable absolute success for Operation New Dawn.
May the citizens of Iraq be empowered to be strong and unified
as they continue to defend against insurgents. Give them wis-
dom and courage as they build a free country. Continue to pro-
tect our troops and grant them success in their new mission. In
your matchless name we pray, Amen.

Welcome to the 749TH CSSB!

Welcome to the 749TH CSSB “Lifeline of Incoming Soldiers Officers:
Battle”. I am delighted you are joining us as a new None at this time
749TH CSSB Soldier. Your role is critical in fulfill-
Incoming Soldiers Enlisted:
ing the mission of our Battalion and the California None at this time
Army National Guard.
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Yellow Ribbon Event - Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration This program assists more than just Grove in
Program (YRRP) consists of infor- the Soldier, but provides support Concord,
mational events and activities for the and services to Soldier’s families, California
members of the reserve component Soldier’s employers, communities, (see en-
of the Armed Forces, their families, as well as their respective units. closed map). Lunch and child-
and community members to facili- The YRRP provides education, care are provided at the hotel.
tate access to services supporting information, services, referrals and The uniform is ACU with beret.
their health and well-being through proactive out-reach
the 4 phases of the deployment cy- opportunities for all
cle: involved throughout
the entire deployment
1) Pre-Deployment
cycle.
2) Deployment
3) Demobilization Our YRRP is going to
4) Post-Deployment/Reconstitution take place at the
Crowne Plaza Garden

Top APFT Scores

SSG MOXLEY DARRYL GORDON 300 PASS 19-Jun-2010
Top 2 Mile Time for Male/Female:
SSG FOSTER ANDREW OQUINDO 299 PASS 18-Apr-2010
CPT HENDREN SHAWN MARIE 294 PASS 18-Apr-2010 SSG MOXLEY DARRYL - 12:51
2LT BABOT SHEILA - 16:36
CPT CLARK BRIAN ELLIOT 293 PASS 18-Apr-2010
CSM VAKA PAULO KUPA 291 PASS 16-Dec-2008
The Physical Fitness Badge is awarded to
2LT BABOT SHEILA RENEE 289 PASS 2-Jun-2010 Soldiers who obtain a minimum total score
SGT SIEGLE ROBERT PATTON 289 PASS 3-Oct-2009 of 270, with a minimum score of 90 on
SGT FRESCAS MARY LOUISE 287 PASS 3-Oct-2009 each event, and meet the weight control
requirements in AR 600-9.

2 SEPT SGT FRESCAS, MARY 6 OCT LTC CENITI, DAVID

11 SEPT SFC EADDY KEVIN 7 OCT SFC OLIVER, LARDELL

16 SEPT MAJ GREEN, MARVIN 10 OCT SGT CARR, GERARDO

19 SEPT CPT PARKS, JOHN 12 OCT CW4 CLARKE, THOMAS

21 SEPT MSG DIAZ, DAVID 14 OCT SPC JOHNSON, JACOB

25 SEPT PFC CARTER, ANTHONY 24 OCT SFC PEREZ, JOSE

29 SEPT CSM VAKA, PAULO 25 OCT SPC AQUILIZAN, MARIA

30 OCT MSG RAE, OREN 3
 U . S . Ar m y - C a l i f o r ni a a r m y n a t i o n a l g ua r d
749th Readiness Scorecard Rankings
Primary Business Address:
Combat Sustainment Support Battalion As of: 11 September 2010
711 Hillcrest Ave Benicia, California 94510
Phone: (707) 745-0508
Fax: (707) 745-6174 %
Battalion Adjutant: shawn.hendren@us.army.mil
STRENGTH 83.6
HHC CDR CPT HENDREN
HHC 1SG 1SG BAKER
MOSQ 83.6
S1 CPT GALVAN
S2 1LT GARTON
NVP 1
S3 CPT PARKS
S4 CPT ALAN
PHA 82
S6 CW2 SCHWEITZER
BMO 1LT BIRTCIL APFT Pass 62
SPO MAJ CHAMBERLAIN

We are on the WEB!

www.lifelineofbattle.com

Family Readiness Group Leader

by Jessica Jennings
Hello and thank you to everyone ones that I’ve been working so hard
who registered for the Yellow Rib- on getting. Also, I really want to
bon Event. I just want to let every- meet your families and children camp opportunities for children of
one know how important it is for because I have so many summer deployed members that your fami-
everyone to have their primary lies can take advantage of.
Point Of Contact REGIS- Soon we will be on the web,
TERS!!!! There will be this is a work in progress but
“Opportunity Drawings” dur- once we have it completed you
ing the Yellow Ribbon Event and your families will be able
and then some Grand Prizes to access a multitude of infor-
that can only be collected if mation. Lastly your coopera-
YOU and YOUR primary POC tion with everything has helped
are registered online for the us out a great deal in organiz-
event!! So HA! Register, I ing the Yellow Ribbon Event
really want everyone to have and Farewell Ceremony, Thank
an opportunity to win the big You!

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 Snapshot Soldier
SGT Peralta, Cyrus J.
Section: SPO
MOS: 88N
SMOS: 63B, 88M
Married: No
Children: No
SGT Peralta was born
in Frankfurt Germany
in 1977 where both his
mother and father were in the military. His father did
a 1 tour with Army Active Duty and his mother is a
34 year California National Guard Veteran (AGR)
who retired at the OTAG service maintenance office.
While she was full-time at Camp Roberts, California
they lived in the Trailer Park (still in use) and his
grandfather planted the willow tree that still grows
today. SGT Peralta joined the California Army Na-
tional Guard in 1995, holds an AA in Motorcycle
Technology, entered the 749TH in January 2010 and
this is his second deployment. He has a passion for
motorcycles and fishing for all types of fish, season
dependent.
Misfires: SGT Peralta, while on deployment in Iraq
brought his own camping commode for lack of fa-
cilities. He seen an opportunity to go when a gunner
was injured and needed light medical attention.
Making his way over sand hills, feeling certain not to
be seen, he set up shop. About half through his busi-
ness he feels the commode begin to give way and
collapse and as it does he goes into a crab like stance
using his heels and elbows to complete his mission.
Just as this happens an entire platoon of 915’s rolls
over the hill and begin taking pictures and laughing.
“Just when you think you’re all alone and at the most
inopportune time…” - SGT Peralta
SSG Baranovic, Nicholas
Section: S2
MOS: 35M
SMOS: 63B
Married: No
Children: 1 Daughter
SSG Baranovic was born in
Florissant, Missouri where
he lived until he was 17 yrs
old. He has an AA from Wentworth Military Acad-
emy and continued his education at Middle Tennessee
State University. SSG Baranovic commissioned as a
Military Intelligence Officer in 2005 and moved to
California after Officer Basic Course to attend the Ara-
bic Basic Course at the Language Institute in Mon-
terey. He later decided to return to the enlisted ranks,
resigning his commission when his wife became preg-
nant so that he could better provide for his family and
became a 35M. SSG Baranovic stayed in California
for the opportunities, he has been in the CAARNG for
8 and a half years and this is his first deployment. He
has a passion for woodworking where he enjoys build-
ing furniture.
Misfires: While attending school at Fort Huachuca,
he took a hike into the desert. While hiking he tripped
over a loose rock and fell down a hill and into desert
and beavertail cactus! Luckily he had his GERBER to
pull the needles out of his arm, neck and face. Look-
ing like he had lost the battle with cacti his ID card
appointment the next day was unavoidable. Good
times.
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