Buford Blount III
He is a graduate of London Central High School, Bushey Hall, England where his father was stationed.
Major General Buford “Buff” Blount | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 15, 1948 Austin, Texas |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1971 – 2005 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | 3rd Infantry Division |
| Commands held | Combat Support Company and B Company, 3rd Battalion, 77th Armor Battalion, 5th Infantry Division (United States) A Troop, 15th Cavalry Troop, 197th Infantry Brigade 3rd Battalion, 64th Armor Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal(2) Silver Star Legion of Merit(3) Meritorious Service Medal(7) Army Commendation Medal(3) Iraq Campaign Medal Presidential Unit Citation (United States) Saint George Award Order of Saint Barbara |
Buford “Buff” Blount III is a retired United States Army officer who had served as the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division and commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad.
Early life[edit]
His father was Colonel Buford C. Blount II, and his mother Cecil Glenn Dickson, both from Bassfield, Mississippi. His father was a career Air Force Officer, a pilot who served in WW II, Korea and Vietnam, and Blount is the fourth generation from his family to serve with distinction in the US Military. He spent his childhood moving around the world with his family.
Education[edit]
Blount attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, receiving bachelor's degree in science. He also was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army through the ROTC program at University of Southern Mississippi. He is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the United States Naval War College where he earned a Master of Science Degree in National Defense and Strategic Studies.
Military career[edit]
Major General Blount retired from the Army on January 1, 2005 after serving as the Army's Deputy G-3 (responsible for operations, including staff duties, exercise planning, training, operational requirements, combat development & tactical doctrine) from October 2003. Previously, he was the Commanding General, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized),[1] at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. Major General Blount gave up command of the 3rd Infantry Division after bringing them home from Iraq where they were the lead force in capturing Baghdad after 21 days of continuous fighting. [2][3][4][5] This was the fastest and longest offensive attack in the history of the United States Army.[6] Before his command of the 3rd Infantry Division, Major General Blount was stationed in Arabia where he was the Program Manager for the Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program[7]. During his 33 years of Army service, Major General Blount was assigned as Commander, Combat Support Company and B Company, 3rd Battalion, 77th Armor Battalion, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Polk, LA; Commander, A Troop, 15th Cavalry Troop, 197th Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, GA; Commander, 3rd Battalion, 64th Armor Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division(Mechanized), United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany; Commander, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division(Mechanized), Fort Carson, CO. Between command assignments he has served as the Operations, Plans and Training Officer, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor, 197th Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, GA; Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Polk, Louisiana, Chief, Test Support Division, United States Army Infantry Board, Fort Benning, Georgia Chief, Armor Plans and Operations Officer, Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program, Saudi Arabia; Executive Officer, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor, and 2nd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, GA; and Division Chief of Staff, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas.
Undergraduate, postgraduate and alumnus involvement and activities[edit]
Served as a Board Member of the University of Southern Mississippi and is a member of the Circle of Champions.
Co-Chair for the campaign for the Dale Center for the study of War and Society[8][9] at University of Southern Mississippi
Chairman for the General Blount Endowed Professorship Fund in Military History established in his honor by the University of Southern Mississippi
Recognized as a Distinguished ROTC Alumni for University of Southern Mississippi
He also held a position as a Distinguished Lecturer in National Defense and Strategic Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi
Career accomplishments and recognition, award and honors[edit]
He has Formally recognized by both State Governments of Georgia (U.S. state) and Mississippi for his military service and his leadership in the Liberation of Iraq.
Inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi's Hall of Fame
Has appeared on ABC, CNN, Discovery Channel, History Channel and Fox in connection with leading the 3rd Infantry Division into Iraq and capturing Baghdad and as a Military and Mid East Consultant
Co-Founder of and Chairman of Mav6 - a Defense Company focused on rapid fielding of new technologies to the Military
A member of the Board of Directors of Kopis Mobile, a Defense Technology Company
A member of the Board of Directors of World Relay Inc. a technology and Communications Company
Current Chairman of Civil – Military Innovation Institute
Awarded the Presidential Unit Citation presented to him by President George W. Bush, Ft Stewart, Ga in 2003.
Awarded the Order of Saint George Award by the US Armor Society, and the Order of Saint Barbara by the US Artillery Society.
Received The King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit presented to him by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2001.
Military awards and decorations[edit]
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Silver Star
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with six silver oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal
Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
Saint George Award
Order of Saint Barbara
References[edit]
- ↑ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/11/20/downfall-2
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/26/international/worldspecial/3rd-infantry-seizes-3-bridges-in-fiercest.html
- ↑ https://www.historynet.com/last-bridge-baghdad.htm
- ↑ https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/06/12/mississippians-discuss-worsening-conditions-iraq/10371995/
- ↑ https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/07/06/army-on-right-track-with-next-generation-intelligence-system/
- ↑ http://old.post-gazette.com/world/20030413warspeedwp4.asp
- ↑ http://tsg-globalholdings.com/blountb.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf9I86rcE4k
- ↑ https://www.usm.edu/dale-center-war-society/general-blount-professorship.php
Major General Buford “Buff” Blount[edit]
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