‘Where it all began.’ Meet Maj. Gen. Buzzard, Ft. Benning’s newest commander
Nearly 30 years after reporting to Fort Benning as a brand-new second lieutenant for his officer basic course, Curtis Buzzard returns to where it all began.
Now a Major General, Buzzard comes back to lead the Army post. He is the new Commanding General of the U.S. Army Fort Benning and The Maneuver Center of Excellence following a change of command ceremony Thursday morning.
Buzzard told reporters after the event that he’s come to Benning three times for training, including the 1992 basic course and Army Ranger School in 1993.
“It’s awesome to come back. We’ve got great memories,” he said. “It’s been 25 years since we’ve been here... It really is great to be back.”
Buzzard comes to Benning from North Carolina’s Fort Bragg, where he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Forces Command.
Originally from Philadelphia, Buzzard graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1992. He commissioned as an infantry officer and joined the 82nd Airborne, according to his biography. He also received his Master’s of Public Administration from Harvard University.
Over the span of his military service, Buzzard’s notable assignments include Commandant of Cadets of the United States Military Academy, military aide to U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and Company Command in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and 3rd U.S. Infantry.
During Thursday’s ceremony, Buzzard was joined by family members, including his wife Teri and his three daughters. He replaces outgoing commander Maj. Gen. Pat Donahoe, who had led the Army post since July 2020. Donahoe announced in April that he was retiring from the Army after nearly 34 years.
A New Jersey native, Donahoe was commissioned as an Armor Officer through Villanova University in May 1989. His previous assignments include serving as Deputy Commanding General for Operations, 8th U.S. Army in the Republic of Korea and a stint as senior advisor to Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi, chief of the general staff of the Afghan National Army.
Donahoe spoke at Thursday’s ceremony, thanking the soldiers, elected officials and his family for their support over the last two years.
The commander led Benning through COVID-19 surges and the early steps in the post’s renaming. A commission tasked with making recommendations to Congress for the removal or renaming of Department of Defense assets that commemorate the Confederate States of America recommended the post be renamed in honor of Vietnam War commander Hal Moore and his wife, Julie. Donahoe told the Ledger-Enquirer that he plans to remain in the Columbus area after his retirement.
“Every commanding general at Fort Benning... will face challenges,” Donahoe said after the ceremony. “The challenges that we had over the two years were unique, but every commanding general before that has to fight through whatever that challenge of the day is. We call on our leaders to lead through challenging times and through adversity and just make it as positive as they can. I hope I’ve done that.”
Buzzard told reporters that “taking care of our people” will be one of his top priorities as the new commanding general.
“This is the home of (the) nation’s decisive land power, armor and infantry,” he said. “There’s no place like home, and I’m glad to be here.”
This story was originally published July 15, 2022 at 5:16 AM.