Curtis A. Buzzard

Curtis A. Buzzard
Official portrait, 2024
Born
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
Service years1992–present
RankLieutenant General
Unit82nd Airborne Division
Commands
Conflicts
Awards
Alma mater

Curtis Alan Buzzard[1] is a United States Army lieutenant general 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 from July 2022 to July 2024.[2] 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 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.[3][4]

Military career

Buzzard graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1992 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, serving in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, 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 Infantry Regiment; from 1993 in the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and from 1997 in the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).[5][6] From 1999 he attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government,[6] later receiving master's degrees from Harvard and the Marine Corps University.[5] From 2001 to 2002 he worked as a strategist in the Army Staff at the Pentagon.[5][6]

He returned to the 82nd Airborne Division as a battalion operations officer and battalion executive officer in the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in 2002. 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, serving presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.[5][6] Buzzard served multiple tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.[5][7]

On 28 June 2019 Colonel Buzzard was appointed Commandant of the United States Corps of Cadets at West Point.[8] On 4 October 2019, Buzzard was promoted to brigadier general.[8]

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 (part of Resolute Support).[9] After the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Buzzard will lead the Defense Security Cooperation Management Office Afghanistan in Qatar. 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.[10][11]

In July 2021, Buzzard was nominated for promotion to major general.[12][11] 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.[13][2]

In July 2024, Buzzard was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of Security Assistance Group–Ukraine.[14][15] He assumed the additional command of NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, Operation Atlantic Resolve, in December 2024.[16] In November 2025 he was part of a delegation led by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to Ukraine for peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war.[17]

Personal life

He is married to a registered nurse and former Army officer. They have three daughters, and two of them are currently officers in the Navy.[7]

Awards and decorations

His awards include:[5]

References

  1. ^ "Curtis Alan Buzzard". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b Gago, Alexander (14 July 2022). "Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard takes command of Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning". U.S. Army. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Buzzard promoted to rank of Brigadier General | PointerView.com | Proudly Serving West Point, NY | West Point News and Commentary".
  4. ^ Buzzard, Curtis A.; White, John C.; Ferguson, Jared N. (30 September 2016). "An Exercise in Mission Command: The Panther Brigade in Operation Inherent Resolve" (PDF). Infantry Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Commandant's Biography | United States Military Academy West Point". www.westpoint.edu. Archived from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d "Alphabetical Locator of Graduates and Former Cadets" (PDF). www.west-point.org. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  7. ^ a b "NATO Security Assistance Ukraine - Commander". Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Commandant Promoted to rank of Brigadier General – West-Point.ORG". Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  9. ^ "General Officer Assignments". United States Department of Defense. United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  10. ^ Mitchell, Ellen (2 July 2021). "Pentagon to switch over U.S. military leadership in Afghanistan". The Hill. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Brigadier General Curtis A. Buzzard (USA)". Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  12. ^ "PN815 — Army, 117th Congress (2021–2022)". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  13. ^ "General Officer Assignment Announcement, dtd 28 March 2022". GOMO. Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  14. ^ "PN1993 — Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard — Army". U.S. Congress. 23 July 2024.
  15. ^ "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 24 July 2024. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  16. ^ "General Office Announcement". www.war.gov. U.S. Department of Defense. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  17. ^ Martinez, Luis (19 November 2025). "US Army secretary arrives in Kyiv for high-level talks to restart peace talks, military says". ABC News. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
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