A green beret will take the helm of EUNAVFOR Atalanta
(BRUSSELS2) The next head of the European anti-piracy operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta could be, according to our information, a man from the marine commandos, Major General Buster Howes. A man in the field who has known several difficult areas of engagement (Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan), with direct and colorful language, and who seems to have strong ideas on defense
British. Another style, no doubt, than the Rear Admiral Hudson which it will succeed (1). He is the third leader for the Atalanta mission.
Enlisted in the Royal Marines (RM) in 1982, he served as a troop commander in the 42nd RM Regiment, and was deployed for the first time in operation, in Northern Ireland (Bobby Sands and several active IRA militants died after a long hunger strike in 1981 and the province is far from being a synecure...).
He then qualified as a mountain guide and was assigned to the Recce Troop (reconnaissance troops) of the 45th RM Commando. After a stint as aide-de-camp to the General Major of Training, Reserve and Special Forces RM, he was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division as an operations officer during the 1st Gulf War. He then commanded Company C of the 40th RM Commando.
He is with the 42nd Commando RM, during the second Gulf War where he participates in securing the strategic peninsula of Al Faw (where the oil wells are). Then he was appointed, in 2006, to the 3rd Commando Brigade, the main British marine commandos (created in 1943). He was also Chief Co-Coordination and Effects at ISAF HQ in Kabul then Director of the State Naval Major in 2007.
On Afghanistan, he does not elude the harshness and the length of the war. To our British colleagues, he declares: Our involvement in Northern Ireland spanned 30 years. It's hard to know how long the war in Afghanistan will last. It will certainly last for years, even decades. This will be the war of our generation. He had been one of those officers who, publicly, in chosen terms, had expressed their regret at the soldiers' lack of equipment and the crucial lack of helicopters on the ground.
In November 2008, he became the head of British external operations - where he participated closely in particular in the Green Paper on the future of British defence, before taking command in February 2010 of the Royal Marines.
He has also worked at Fleet Headquarters, personnel policy, was a Quick Reaction Force planner for UNPROFOR operations in Bosnia, and was a strategist for the Naval Personnel Directorate at the Ministry. He also served as director of the ICSC(L) - intermediate command staff course - at the Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) of the British Defense Academy and as chief of staff to the commander of the amphibious forces (CAF).
Recently, he was invited during the election campaign opposing the Conservatives to Labour. His article published in the Royal Marines' monthly, "Globe & Laurel", had attracted the attention of the press (2) by its questioning of the government's defense policy. Howes explaining that we should not hesitate to review certain projects. " Our current defense aspirations are unaffordable. Very difficult choices have to be made “, adding in a shock sentence:” holy cows make the best beefburgers (3).
Otherwise, gardening and DIY are his favorite pastimes - he loves to fix what's broken - as well as mountaineering, and recently gave up water skiing, his official biography tells us.
He has two twin daughters, charming, illustrated by this very beautiful photo of the Life magazine.
(1) The Rear Admiral Hudson appointed leader of Atalanta
(2) Read the Telegraph
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
