Career

He previously served as Deputy Director under Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Director John Magaw from 1996-1999. He began his service with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in 1974 when he joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Office of Chief Counsel. He was named Chief Counsel of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in 1995.

The Homeland Security Acting of 2002 reorganized federal law enforcement and domestic security efforts and established the Department of Homeland Security.

This legislation moved components of the Departments of Treasury, Justice, Transportation and other agencies to a new Department of Homeland Security. This law also transferred Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives law enforcement and firearms and explosives regulatory functions to the Justice Department.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives"s tax collection and trade practice regulation of the beverage alcohol industries were retained in the Treasury Department. Buckles worked with Treasury officials and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulatory and tax experts on the setup of the new Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in the Treasury Department and was responsible for the transition of the remainder of the agency to the Department of Justice.

He was named Acting Director of the new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) by Attorney General John Ashcroft in January 2003.

He served in this capacity until leaving federal service in January 2004. Buckles is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and Washburn University School of Law.