Major General Buster Howes

Major General Buster Howes OBE is currently serving as the Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington. Buster was educated at Christ’s Hospital and York and London Universities and was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1982.

Initially Buster served as a troop commander in 42 Commando RM, deploying for the first time on operations, in Northern Ireland. After training a recruit troop, he qualified as a Mountain Leader and was then posted to Recce Troop, 45 Commando RM. After a stint as AdC to Major General Training, Reserve and Special Forces RM, he was appointed to the 2nd Division, USMC, as a Regimental Operations Officer (for the First Gulf War). He subsequently commanded Charlie Company, 40 Commando RM; Commando Training Wing at CTCRM; 42 Commando RM (for the Second Gulf War); and 3 Commando Brigade. Buster has worked in personnel policy, in the Fleet HQ; as a planner in the Rapid Reaction Force Operations Staff of UNPROFOR, in Bosnia; and as a strategist in the Naval Staff Directorate, in MOD. He has attended the Naval Staff College, the Higher Command and Staff Course, the Royal College of Defence Studies and the Pinnacle Course. He has served as a Divisional Director for ICSC(L) at the JSCSC, and as COS to Commander Amphibious Forces (CAF). He was Chief Joint Co-ordination and Effects, in HQ ISAD X in Kabul and then Director Naval Staff, in 2007.

In addition, he also served as Head of Overseas Operations in MOD before being appointed Commandant General Royal Marines/CAF in February 2010. Buster commanded Operation ATLANTA, the EU Counter Piracy Mission in the Indian Ocean for 15 months up to 1 August. He is also a member of the Navy Board, Captain of Deal Castle, President of the Royal Marines Mountaineering Club, and Vice President of the RNRM Children’s Charity.