Buster Howes

Major-General Francis Hedley Robertson "Buster" Howes, is a Royal Marines officer who was Commandant General Royal Marines from February 2010 to December 2011.

Early life
Howes was educated at Christ's Hospital, the University of York and the University of London.

Military career
Howes was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1982. He became a troop commander in 42 Commando and had his first posting to Northern Ireland. After training as a Mountain Leader, he transferred to 45 Commando. He served in the Gulf War while on secondment to the USMC. He served as a planner in the Rapid Reaction Force Operations Staff of UNPROFOR during the Bosnian War in 1995. He became Commanding Officer of 42 Commando (during the Iraq War) in 2003, Chief Joint Coordination and Effects in Headquarters ISAF in Afghanistan in 2007 and Director of Naval Staff later that year. He went on to be Commander of 3 Commando Brigade in April 2008, Head of Overseas Operations in the Ministry of Defence in 2009 and Commandant General Royal Marines in February 2010. He became British defence attaché in Washington, D.C. in 2011.

Howes was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2013 Birthday Honours.