Photo Gallery | California National Guard Soldiers Return Home Following Deployment to Iraq

SACRAMENTO  - On Wednesday, Nov 9, nearly 40 Sacramento-based California National Guard (CNG) Soldiers with the 749th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion (CSSB) returned home following their yearlong deployment to Iraq.  The Soldiers arrived at Sacramento International Airport's terminal A on two flights at 12 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.

The battalion, based out of Benicia, coordinated the movement of cargo from Kuwait throughout central Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn.  New Dawn began in September 2010 when formal combat operations (Operation Iraqi Freedom) came to an end.   The 749th is one of the last major CNG units returning from

Iraq as all U.S. operations draw to a close by the end of 2011.

749th Soldiers from other parts of the state will also be arriving throughout the day at various airports to include San Jose, Oakland, Monterey, Ontario and San Luis Obispo.

Source: MAJ Jonathan Masaki Shiroma, Deputy Public Affairs Officer, California National Guard