Lieutenant Colonel Buzzard is a native of Willits, CA and enlisted in the Marine Corps as an Infantryman on 17 July 1995. His enlisted tours included Marine Barracks, Japan and 1st Battalion, 5th Marines where he deployed with the 31st MEU. He selected for BOOST and subsequently MECEP where he attended the Pennsylvania State University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology in 2004. Second Lieutenant Buzzard commissioned in May 2004 and reported to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia in June 2004 for The Basic School (TBS). He graduated TBS on the General’s Honor Roll in December 2004.
After completing TBS, Second Lieutenant Buzzard reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida for flight training with Training Squadron Two and Helicopter Training Squadron Eighteen. Designated a Naval Aviator in November 2006, he received orders to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, CA and attended the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the AH-1W.
Upon completion of FRS training in May 2007, First Lieutenant Buzzard transferred to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina where he trained for 8 months before deploying in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) from March to September 2008. He served in the operations department as a schedule writer and Pilot Training Officer (PTO), and promoted to Captain in July of 2008.
After returning from OIF, Captain Buzzard joined VMM-263(REIN) in October 2008 and deployed with the 22nd MEU, as a part of the 1st MV-22 MEU deployment, from May 2009 to December 2009. In December 2009, he was re-assigned to HMLA-167 and served as the Flight line OIC, NATOPS officer, Standardization officer, DSS, and future operations OIC as the squadron transitioned from the UH-1N to the UH-1Y. Captain Buzzard attended the Weapons and Tactics Instructor course in the spring of 2011.
In July 2012, Captain Buzzard reported to Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS), Quantico, Virginia as a student. Upon graduating with distinctions from EWS in May 2013, he reported to MAWTS-1 and served in the AH-1 Division. Captain Buzzard transitioned to the AH-1Z during the winter of 2013 and promoted to Major in September 2014.
Major Buzzard departed MAWTS-1 in June of 2016 and reported to Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC), Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas as a student. Upon graduating with distinctions from CGSC in June 2017, he reported to HMLA-167 and served as the Operations Officer as the squadron transitioned from AH-1W to the AH-1Z. In April 2019, he joined VMM-365 (REIN) and deployed with the 26th MEU, as a part of the last AH-1W deployment, from December 2019 to July 2020.
After returning from the 26th MEU deployment, Major Buzzard transferred to II MEF G39 FECC in September 2020 and promoted to his present rank in October 2020. In May 2021, LtCol Buzzard reported to MAG 26, MCAS New River and served as the Personnel Support Detachment Commanding Officer, as well as the Executive Officer while transitioning to be a MV-22 pilot and preparing for command of VMM-162.