Sustainment battalions gain new leaders, prepare for deployment

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neysa Canfield | Lt. Col. Gina SanNicolas (left) and Command Sgt. Maj. Marissa Cisneros (right), command team of 129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade, 101st Abn. Div., case the battalion colors, Nov. 30, 2016, at Sabo Physical Fitness Center on Fort Campbell, Ky. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Neysa Canfield/101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

11.30.2016

Story by Sgt. Neysa Canfield 

101st Division Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2016) — On Nov. 30, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade saw big changes as it gained two new battalion command sergeants major and took a step toward yet another deployment.
In the morning, Soldiers of the 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., 101st Abn. Div., bid farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Graham and welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Norman during a ceremony at Sabo Physical Fitness Center, here.
Graham, who took responsibility of 101st STB in October 2014, said he learned a lot during his time as the senior enlisted adviser for the battalion.
“Being in a diverse unit like [STB] has its challenges, but it has sharpened my leadership skills and given me a better understanding and appreciation for sustainment brigades as a whole,” explained Graham.
As the ceremony concluded, Graham expressed that he will miss the comradery, motivation and hard work the Soldiers of the 101st STB put forth during his time as their command sergeant major.
Graham is slated to serve in a position one echelon higher as the senior enlisted adviser for the 16th Sustainment Brigade in Germany and said that he will take the experiences he learned on Fort Campbell and use them throughout his next assignment.
Later, on the heels of an upcoming deployment to Egypt, 129th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion received a new command sergeant major and cased the battalion colors in one fell swoop.
Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Rendon relinquished responsibility of 129th CSSB to Command Sgt. Maj. Marissa M. Cisneros during the ceremony also held at Sabo PFC.
Cisneros, who graduated from the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy in June 2016, said she is excited to be part of the 129th CSSB.
“It is very humbling to take responsibility of the Soldiers of [129th CSS],” said Cisneros.
Cisneros credited Rendon and Lt. Col. Gina SanNicolas, the battalion commander for their work shaping the battalion.
“Now it’s up to me to build on that foundation,” she said.
Following the Change of Responsibility ceremony for Cisneros, she and SanNicolas cased the battalion’s colors, symbolizing the battalion’s impending deployment.
With only two months on Fort Campbell, Cisneros will be taking a portion of the battalion to Egypt for a nine-month deployment.
Cisneros said that since her arrival to the brigade, the 129th CSSB command team has integrated her into the unit and kept her current on what the battalion is doing in preparation for the deployment.
Communicating with the battalion’s company teams and sections about their challenges and priorities was crucial because of the upcoming deployment, she said.
“I feel confident that although I’m taking over and leaving short after, that the home station will continue [accomplishing] missions successfully because [129th CSSB] has great command teams and leaders,” Cisneros said.

• Date Taken: 11.30.2016
• Date Posted: 12.09.2016 15:11
• Story ID: 217100
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US