This Veterans Day, 101.5 The Vibe is celebrating the brave men and women who have served our country, including one of Tampa Bay’s own, retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Vincent E. Buggs.
General Buggs has an impressive military résumé. A graduate of Georgia Southern University, he spent nearly three decades serving in the Army, including three deployments to Iraq.
In 2018, he was promoted to brigadier general and took command of the 364th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), overseeing thousands of soldiers across six states.
But one of the most touching stories of his military career has nothing to do with his rank or the number of soldiers he commanded.
It started with a kindergarten class and a gingerbread man!
While deployed in Iraq, Buggs connected with students at David Emanuel Academy in Stillmore, Georgia, through a school project. What started as a simple classroom activity became a years-long exchange of letters, care packages and encouragement.
Those letters helped him through some of the loneliest and most difficult moments of deployment.
Years later, Buggs traveled to the school to surprise those same students, who were now high school seniors.
The emotional reunion made national headlines, including a feature on ABC’s Good Morning America.
It was a powerful reminder that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness make the biggest difference.
And his service didn’t end when he took off the uniform.
Today, the retired general remains involved in leadership and community engagement, including speaking to organizations throughout Tampa Bay.
On this Veterans Day, 101.5 The Vibe proudly salutes General Vincent Buggs and every veteran who has served our nation.
Whether you served overseas, here at home, during wartime or in peacetime, your sacrifice matters.
From all of us at 101.5 The Vibe — The Soul of the Bay — thank you for your service, and Happy Veterans Day!