Curtis Alan Buzzard is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

major general who serves as the commanding general of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning since July 14, 2022. Prior to that, he served as the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and training of the United States Army Forces Command from January 2022 to June 2022, and as the 78th

Commandant of Cadets of the United States Military Academy The Commandant of Cadets is the ranking officer in charge of the Corps of Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The commandant is head of the Department of Tactics and, under the superintendent is responsible for th ...

from June 2019 to May 2021.

Education

Buzzard earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He later received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School and a master's degree in military science from the Marine Corps University.

Military career

Buzzard graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1992 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from thor ...

as a rifle platoon leader. He went on to serve in numerous command roles as company leader within several different units, including the 1st Battalion,

504th Parachute Infantry Regiment The 504th Infantry Regiment, originally the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (504th PIR), is an airborne forces regiment of the United States Army, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, with a long and distinguished history. The regiment was ...

, 2nd Squadron,

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment ("Blackhorse Regiment") is a unit of the United States Army garrisoned at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. Although termed an armored cavalry regiment, it is being re-organized as a mul ...

and later in the

3rd Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

. Buzzard later attended the Marine Corps University and returned to the 82nd Airborne Division as a battalion operations officer and battalion executive officer. He later served as commander of the 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment. Buzzard then served as the

US Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military officer ...

Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and returned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as the division G3 and later commanded the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team. Buzzard also served as the army military aide to the

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

, serving presidents

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

and

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

. Buzzard served tours in both

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...

. On June 28, 2019

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Buzzard was appointed

Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...

of the

United States Corps of Cadets The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

at West Point. On October 4, 2019, Buzzard was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

. In March 2021, it was announced that Buzzard would become deputy chief of staff for operations for NATO's

Operation Resolute Support Resolute Support Mission (RSM) or Operation Resolute Support was a NATO-led multinational mission in Afghanistan. It began on 1 January 2015 as the successor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was completed on 28 Decem ...

, which trains and assists

Afghan Security Forces The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), also known as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), were the military and internal security forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Structure The Afghan National Security Forc ...

; deputy commanding general for operations for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A); and commander of U.S.

National Support Element National Support Elements (NSE) were part of the IFOR, and later the SFOR, NATO led forces, which were deployed primarily in former Yugoslavia from 1996 to 2004 (when replaced by EUFOR). Many of the NSE's were deployed in Hungary - even though th ...

Command-Afghanistan for Operation Freedom's Sentinel (part of Resolute Support). After the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Buzzard will lead the Defense Security Cooperation Management Office Afghanistan in

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...

. He will administer funding and over-the-horizon aircraft maintenance support for the

Afghan National Defense and Security Forces Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity ** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...

, also supporting the newly-formed US Forces Afghanistan Forward, in charge of American troops in Afghanistan. He assumed command in late July. In July 2021, Buzzard was nominated for promotion to major general. He was reassigned as commanding general of the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence in March 2022, and assumed command on July 14, 2022.

Personal life

Buzzard is married and is a father of three daughters.

Awards and decorations

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

(3 awards) *

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...

(3 awards) *

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: *Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Med ...

(6 awards) *

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

(3 awards) *

Air Assault Badge The Air Assault Badge, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 18 January 1978, last accessed 16 October 2020 is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School. The course includes three phases of instruction involvi ...

* Army Staff Badge *

Combat Infantryman's Badge The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is a United States Army military decoration. The badge is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat while assigned as members of ei ...

Expert Infantryman's Badge The Expert Infantryman Badge, or EIB, is a special skills badge of the United States Army. The EIB was created with the CIB by executive order in November 1943 during World War II. Currently, it is awarded to U.S. Army personnel who hold infan ...

Master Parachutist Badge The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces. The United States Space Force and United States Coast Guard are the only branches that do not award the Parachutist Badge, b ...

Presidential Service Badge The Presidential Service Badge (PSB) is an identification badge of the United States Armed Forces which is awarded to members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard as well as ot ...

Ranger Tab In the United States Army, tabs are cloth and/or metal arches displaying a word or words signifying a special skill that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms. On the Army Combat Uniform and Army Service Uniform, the tabs are worn above a unit's Sho ...

*Numerous foreign jump wings

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buzzard, Curtis A. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from Pennsylvania United States Army Rangers Harvard Kennedy School alumni Marine Corps University alumni United States Army personnel of the Iraq War United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) United States Military Academy people Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal