Curtis Alan Buzzard is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

who has served as the commander of Security Assistance Group – Ukraine since August 2024, and NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine since December 2024. He most recently served as the commanding general of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and

Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

from July 2022 to July 2024. 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 from June 2019 to May 2021.

Education

Buzzard earned a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

degree in economics from the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

at West Point. He later received a

Master of Public Administration A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a specialized professional graduate degree in public administration that prepares students for leadership roles, similar or equivalent to a Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the ...

degree from the

Harvard Kennedy School The John F. Kennedy School of Government, commonly referred to as Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), is the school of public policy of Harvard University, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard Kennedy School offers master's de ...

and a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

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 forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

as a

rifle A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...

platoon leader A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth militaries and the US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer – a second or first lieutenant or an equivalent rank ...

. He went on to serve in numerous command roles as company leader within several different units, including the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and later in the 3rd Infantry Regiment. 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 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: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

, serving presidents

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

and

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

. Buzzard served tours in both

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. On 28 June 2019

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...

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 ...

of the United States Corps of Cadets at West Point. On 4 October 2019, Buzzard was promoted to brigadier general. In March 2021, it was announced that Buzzard would become deputy chief of staff for operations for NATO's Operation Resolute Support, which trains and assists Afghan Security Forces; deputy commanding general for operations for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A); and commander of U.S. National Support Element Command-Afghanistan for

Operation Freedom's Sentinel Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) was the official name used by the U.S. government for the mission succeeding Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in continuation of the War in Afghanistan as part of the larger Global War on Terrorism. Operation ...

(part of Resolute Support). After the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Buzzard will lead the Defense Security Cooperation Management Office Afghanistan in

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. He will administer funding and over-the-horizon aircraft maintenance support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, 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 14 July 2022. In July 2024, Buzzard was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of Security Assistance Group – Ukraine. He assumed the additional command of NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine in December 2024.

Personal life

Buzzard is married and is a father of three daughters.

Awards and decorations

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...

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 ...

(2 awards) *

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

(4 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 (6 awards) *

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issu ...

(3 awards) * Air Assault Badge * 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 (United States Army), Special Forces soldiers in the rank of Colonel (United States), colonel and below, wh ...

* Expert Infantryman's Badge * Master Parachutist Badge * Presidential Service Badge * Ranger Tab *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