Col. Edwin L. Buffington

Description:

Col. Edwin Louis Buffington, Jr. US Army (Retired), orignally of Ashdown, Arkansas, began his distinguished 32 year military career as a commissioned 2nd Lt in the ROTC program of Ouachita Baptist University, graduating as its' Distinguished Military Graduate in 1970. 

  During his career, he served in numerous key commands and staff postions. As a CPT, he commanded companies in the 101st. Airborne Division and the US Military Academy, West Point, NY.  As a LtC, he commanded a 440 Soldier forward support battalion supporting the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and led the battalion into combat during OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/STORM. As a Col., he commanded the Army's largest, most diverse Corps Support Group consisting of over 2,400 Soldiers, providing logistical support to the US forces throughout the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, as well as providing logistic support to Joint Task Force-Full Accounting and the Central Indentification Lab-Hawaii, in their mission to recover and identify POW/MIA remains from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. 

   Following Brigade command, he served as Deputy Commander of the 10,000 Soldier 1st Corps Support Command (Airborne),  and then as Commandant and Joint Service Element Commander at Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart Germany,  responsible for training, administration, and welfare of over 1,400 Headquarters and U.S. Embassy Service Members in Europe, Africa, and Middle East. 

    Retiring from the Army in 2002, Mr. Buffington was employed the U.S. European Command to assist in implemeting the State Department's Partnership for Peace (PFP) program, a NATO program aimed at creating trust between member nations and other countries in Europe including the post-Soviet countries. Upon retirement from CIvil Service as a GS 14, he was awarded the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award. 

  He is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Association of the United States Army, and American Legion. COL Buffington's entire adult life has been devoted to serving his Country and fellow Veterans. His Distinguished military and post-military careers made a notable impact toward our Countrys' national securit interest, defense readiness, and were on the forefront of partner nation building efforts throughout Europe, Africa, and Israel.

More Info:

Col. Edwin Louis Buffington, US Army (Retired), Little Rock, Arkansas. His military awards include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, (2 awards), the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards), the  Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2 awards), the Humanitarian Service Medal (2 awards), the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge. COL Buffington was awarded "Centurion Jump Wings" for amassing 100 military parchute jumps. He was inducted into the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps Hall of Fame of 2016.