Education
He then entered the Navy’s Law Education Program and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School.
He then entered the Navy’s Law Education Program and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School.
He served as the 41st Judge Advocate General (Judge Advocate General) of the United States Navy from 14 August 2009 to 20 July 2012. He is currently interim dean of Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Law.
Following graduation from the United States Naval Academy, Houck qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the destroyer United States Ship Caron (Doctor of Divinity 970).
He later earned a Master of Laws (International and Comparative Law) from the Georgetown University Law Center. Houck served from 2006–2009 as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy (DJAG) and Commander, Naval Legal Service Command.
As DJAG, Houck served as the Deputy Department of Defense Representative for Ocean Policy Affairs (REPOPA). Before his appointment to flag rank, he served as special assistant for Legal and Legislative Matters to the secretary of the Navy and later as special counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations.
He also served as the senior staff judge advocate for the Commander, United States. Fleet Forces Command/United States. Atlantic Fleet as well as the Commander, United States. Naval Forces Central Command/United States. 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
In command, he served as commanding officer, Naval Legal Service Office, North Central. Houck’s other assignments include service in the Office of the Legal Counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, and in the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, both as executive assistant to the Judge Advocate General and as special assistant for Transformation, the Judge Advocate General Corps’ lead strategic planner. He began his legal career first as a trial counsel (prosecutor) and then as a defense counsel at Naval Station Mayport, Florida
From the Navy, Houck joined Penn State Law as the Distinguished Scholar in Residence.
He was recently named interim dean of the law school. Houck currently lives in State College, Pennsylvania with his family.