Bagi generasi yang mengenalnya lewat sematan pangkat, ia adalah Mayor Jenderal TNI Marinir (Purnawirawan) Buyung Lalana. Namun bagi mereka yang pernah menyelam bersamanya di perairan yang nyaris mati karena bom ikan, ia lebih akrab disapa dengan nama sederhana: Bang Buyung. Lulusan AAL angkatan 28 ini menempuh jalur klasik seorang marinir: Komandan Batalyon Amfibi (Yontaifib), Komandan Pasmar-2, hingga Komandan Lantamal XI di Merauke. Penugasannya membentang dari Satgas Keris dan Satgas Sapu Jagat di Timor Timur (1984–1986), Satgas Cakra KTT ASEAN di Filipina (1987), Satgas Kosektor I Ambon (2001), Satgas Muara dan Perairan II di Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam pasca-tsunami (2004), hingga Satgas Delegasi RI untuk Counter of Terrorism (2011). Rangkaian penugasan ini tercermin dalam sejumlah tanda jasa yang disandangnya, termasuk Bintang Yudha Dharma Nararya dan Satya Lencana Dharma Samudera.

To the generation that knew him by his rank, he is Major General (Retired) Buyung Lalana of the Indonesian Marine Corps. But to those who once dove beside him in waters nearly killed by blast fishing, he is simply Bang Buyung. A graduate of AAL class 28, he followed the classic Marine path: Commander of the Amphibious Battalion (Yontaifib), Commander of Pasmar-2, and Commander of Lantamal XI in Merauke. His assignments ranged from Satgas Keris and Satgas Sapu Jagat in East Timor (1984–1986), Satgas Cakra for the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines (1987), Satgas Kosektor I Ambon (2001), and Satgas Muara and Perairan II in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam post-tsunami (2004), to the Indonesian Delegation Task Force for Counter Terrorism (2011). These deployments are reflected in the decorations he carries, including the Bintang Yudha Dharma Nararya and Satya Lencana Dharma Samudera.

Pada 30 Maret 2015, ia dilantik menjadi Komandan Korps Marinir (Dankormar), menggantikan Mayjen TNI (Mar) A. Faridz Washington — jabatan tertinggi dalam struktur komando Korps Marinir, dijabatnya hingga 15 Juni 2016. Tak semua purnawirawan bintang dua memilih menghabiskan masa senggangnya menyelam mengukur kerusakan karang. Julukan "Jenderal Terumbu Karang" bukan gelar kehormatan seremonial — ia lahir dari gerakan Save Our Litoral Life (SOLL) yang digagasnya sendiri untuk pelestarian terumbu karang dan lingkungan laut.

On March 30, 2015, he was inaugurated as Commander of the Marine Corps (Dankormar), succeeding Maj. Gen. A. Faridz Washington — the highest command position in the Marine Corps structure, a post he held until June 15, 2016. Not every two-star retiree chooses to spend their time diving to measure coral damage. The moniker "Jenderal Terumbu Karang" (Coral Reef General) is no ceremonial title — it was born from the Save Our Litoral Life (SOLL) movement he founded himself, dedicated to coral reef conservation and the protection of the marine environment.

Jejaknya di dunia sipil pun berlanjut lintas bidang: Staf Khusus Menteri Perhubungan Bidang Hubungan Antar Lembaga, Ketua Umum PB POSSI (federasi selam nasional) periode 2016–2020, dan Ketua Indonesia Off-road Federation Jawa Barat periode 2017–2022. Kini ia menjabat Ketua Umum PB Federasi Mountaineering Indonesia (FMI). Pada 27 Juni 2026, ia membuka Rapat Kerja Nasional (Rakernas) PB FMI 2026, dihadiri pengurus besar dan pengurus daerah se-Indonesia secara luring dan daring. Dalam sambutannya, ia menetapkan lima bidang strategis bagi organisasi: pendidikan, penelitian, penjelajahan, olahraga prestasi, dan kebencanaan — sekaligus mendorong PB FMI menjadi organisasi yang profesional, solid, adaptif, dan bermanfaat nyata bagi masyarakat Indonesia.

His civilian journey spans multiple domains: Special Advisor to the Minister of Transportation for Institutional Affairs, Chairman of PB POSSI (the national diving federation) 2016–2020, and Chairman of Indonesia Off-road Federation West Java 2017–2022. He now serves as Chairman of PB Federasi Mountaineering Indonesia (FMI). On June 27, 2026, he opened the 2026 FMI National Working Conference (Rakernas), attended by the national board and regional executives from across Indonesia, both in-person and online. In his address, he defined five strategic priorities for the organization: education, research, exploration, competitive sport, and disaster response — calling on PB FMI to become a professional, solid, adaptive, and genuinely impactful organization for the Indonesian people.

Hari ini, 8 Juli, ia genap berusia 68 tahun. Dari perairan terumbu karang yang ia jaga hingga puncak-puncak gunung yang kini menjadi tanggung jawabnya, perjalanan Bang Buyung adalah bukti bahwa pengabdian tak mengenal garis pensiun. Selamat ulang tahun, Bang Buyung.

Today, July 8, he turns 68. From the coral reefs he has long protected to the mountain summits now under his stewardship, Bang Buyung's journey stands as proof that dedication knows no retirement line. Happy birthday, Bang Buyung.