Stars and Stripes reports that Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as the new leader of the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) based in Wiesbaden, Germany. The Pentagon announced the nomination on 24 July 2024.
According to the report, Buzzard, currently serving as commander of the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Moore in Georgia, would lead “several hundred troops” in the SAG-U if confirmed by the Senate. Established in 2022, the unit focuses on coordinating military aid to Ukraine.
The nomination comes at a time of transition for the Ukraine assistance mission. Stars and Stripes notes that NATO member countries recently agreed to transform the US-led effort into an alliance-led initiative.
“By using NATO structures, our support will be on a firmer footing, will provide more predictability for Kyiv, and will address both immediate and longer-term needs,” NATO’s military headquarters said in a 11 July statement.
The new NATO-led mission, NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, will also be based in Wiesbaden and will involve about 700 personnel. The report states that it is expected to be established “in a matter of weeks.”
US Army Europe and Africa confirmed that the SAG-U will continue functioning alongside the new NATO command. However, the reporting structure will change, with the three-star command reporting to US Gen. Christopher Cavoli as a NATO supreme allied commander rather than as chief of US European Command.
Stars and Stripes reports that NATO’s military headquarters did not immediately respond to whether Buzzard would lead the SAG-U and the new NATO headquarters in a dual-hatted role.
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