[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E914-E915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF COLONEL DOUG HOUSTON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ZACHARY NUNN

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 2024

  Mr. NUNN of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to take this 
opportunity today to honor and congratulate a distinguished member of 
our military on his well-deserved retirement.
  Colonel Doug Houston, a native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and an alumnus of 
Fort Dodge High School and Iowa State University, began his 
professional career as a Police Officer with the Cedar Rapids Police 
Department--serving from 1992 through 2002. He enlisted in the Iowa 
Army National Guard's Headquarters & Headquarters Company 224th 
Engineer Battalion in 1997 at the age of 27. Upon completion of Initial 
Entry Training, Doug enrolled in the Iowa Military Academy's Officer 
Candidate School, commissioning in August 1999, and branching Engineer. 
Doug led Soldiers as a Platoon Leader, served as a Company Executive 
Officer, Detachment Commander, and then as a Company Commander of 
Company

[[Page E915]]

C 224th Engineer Battalion, which had armories in Mount Pleasant and 
Keokuk.
  In October 2004, then-Captain Houston mobilized with his 111 Soldier 
Company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, spent 10 weeks at Fort 
Sill, Oklahoma preparing for deployment, and then deploying to Camp New 
York in Udairi, Kuwait, and on to Camp Habbaniyah, Al-Anbar Province, 
Iraq in January 2005. Important to note that the Al-Anbar Province was 
known as the most dangerous place in the world throughout 2005 Doug's 
company performed a relief in place of Company C 153rd Engineer 
Battalion, and began conducting route clearance operations in support 
of the I Marine Expeditionary Force and its Ground Support Element, the 
1st Marine Division, from January through March 2005, and then for the 
II Marine Expeditionary Force and its Ground Support Element, the 2nd 
Marine Division, from April to December 2005, throughout Multi-National 
Forces-West--known at the time as area of operation Topeka.
  Colonel Houston regards his 2004-2005 deployment as the Commander of 
Company C 224th Engineer Battalion as a space in time which held the 
most impact in his career. Doug was responsible for the 111 Soldiers 
assigned to his company in addition to the explosive ordnance disposal 
and joint tactical air control teams attached to him during route 
clearance operations Doug's unit supported all combat units in Multi-
National Forces-West during their 12 months in-theater In addition to 
both the 1st & 2nd Marine Divisions, Company C supported Marine 
Regimental Combat Teams I, 2, 7, 8, the 11th & 13th Marine 
Expeditionary Units, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team 2nd Infantry Division 
and their subordinate battalions, including the 1st Battalion 506th 
Infantry in Habbaniyah, the 155th Brigade Combat Team ``Mississippi 
Rifles'', and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team 28th Infantry Division, as 
they sought to destroy the insurgency in Al-Anbar Province. Doug's unit 
was engaged in combat operations throughout the Al-Anbar Province, 
including the cities of Anah, Baghdadi, Fallujah, Habbaniyah, Hadithah, 
HaqIiniyah, Hit, Husaybah, Karmah, Khalidiyah, Kubaysah, Al-Qaim, 
Ramadi, Rawah, Rutbah, Trebel, and Waleed. In addition, Captain Houston 
was responsible for maintaining open lines of communication with his 
rear detachment Soldiers and Family Support Groups in Mount Pleasant 
and Keokuk.
  On January 30, 2005, the Iraqi people participated in a historic 
event--their first free election in that Nation's history. Then-Captain 
Houston and a reinforced platoon of Company C engineers conducted route 
clearance operations on this historic date near the City of Hit, which 
straddles the Euphrates River, and has a population of more than 
50,000. Marines from Regimental Combat Team 2 were tasked with ensuring 
security at polling station in Hit, and it was the mission of Doug's 
unit to ensure freedom of movement throughout the city by clearing the 
area of roadside bombs. On election day, as Doug's engineers approached 
the South side of Hit along the main highway, they discovered a series 
of roadside bombs and began investigating them with the Buffalo mine 
clearing vehicle's hydraulic arm. While investigating these improvised 
explosive devices, Doug's unit came under small arms fire from multiple 
locations inside the City of Hit. Several vehicles in the element were 
struck by insurgent's rounds. Doug and his Soldiers located the enemy 
firing positions, returned engaged with small arms and crew served 
weapons systems, and suppressed the enemy Within minutes, the enemy 
began firing 60-millimeter mortars on the convoy of vehicles which was 
stopped on the road as the engineers investigated the IEDs. After 
approximately a dozen mortars were fired with increasing accuracy, the 
engineer element broke contact and moved North approximately two 
kilometers on the highway, leaving the excavated IEDs on the roadside. 
Prior to leaving the Buffalo arm operator was able to secure the remote 
trigger for the IEDs which rendered them inoperable and essentially 
unexploded ordnance. Captain Houston sent two squads to go back to area 
and overwatch the IEDs that were left to ensure insurgents were not 
able to regain control of them. Over the next half hour, the engineers 
received additional rounds of inaccurate mortar fire. After a short 
period of no mortar or small arms fire, Captain Houston directed the 
two squads to go secure the ordnance and return to the unit's new 
position. The combat engineers secured four South African 155-
millimeter artillery rounds which were later destroyed using C4 
explosives north of Hit and away from any structures or Iraqi citizens.
  This mission was a crucible moment for many in the element, as it was 
the first time they had received direct and indirect fire from 
insurgents with the express intent of killing them. They responded with 
precision in the most disciplined and military manner, positively 
identifying where the enemy was located before returning fire. The 
Soldiers not engaged in returning fire calmly focused on their 
individual responsibilities from the Buffalo arm operator to the radio 
operators, to the vehicle drivers scanning other sectors and prepared 
to take evasive action if necessary. Events of this day, and many 
similar moments during the deployment for Company C 224th Engineer 
Battalion, became the glue for a bond across this company that still 
endures today--nearly 20 years later. Doug maintained the leadership 
lessons of this deployment throughout the remainder of his career. 
Lessons on mission accomplishment, teamwork, motivating others, 
critical thinking, integrity, personal courage and many others formed 
the foundation for an officer who sought out difficult jobs and made a 
difference within the Iowa Army National Guard and the Soldiers with 
whom he served. Doug's legacy will continue through the many officers 
and enlisted he mentored throughout his career.
  Captain Houston was nominated by the 224th Engineer Battalion, the 
67th Troop Command, and The Adjutant General of Iowa as Iowa's nominee 
for the 2005 General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. On May 17, 
2006, then-Captain Houston and his family traveled to Washington, DC 
where Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker recognized him and 
seven other company grade officers from across the United States Army 
National Guard, and 28 total U.S. Army warrant officers, lieutenants, 
and captains with the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership award during 
a ceremony in the courtyard at the Pentagon. Recipients of the General 
Douglas MacArthur Leadership award demonstrate MacArthur's ideals of 
``Duty, Honor, Country'', and have a proven record of extraordinary 
performance, leadership and achievement Doug Houston epitomizes those 
ideals.
  Following company command in 2007 Doug transitioned to the Iowa Army 
National Guard Recruiting & Retention Battalion where he served as an 
Operations and Training Officer--leading Non-Commissioned Officers and 
working the vital mission of enlisting the next generation of Soldiers. 
He was promoted to Major while in this position. In January 2010, Doug 
began a tour as the Training Officer of the 671st Troop Command. In 
2012 he was assigned as the Executive Officer for The Adjutant General 
of Iowa and served in this capacity for 19 months. In June 2013 Doug 
returned to Recruiting and Retention as the Battalion Commander and was 
promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He completed this tour in August 2015. 
Doug was then assigned as the Active Guard/Reserve (AGR) Manager and 
Human Resource/Equal Opportunity Officer for the Iowa National Guard 
where he was responsible for managing this part of the full-time 
support force of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard. In January 2018 
he was reassigned as the Iowa Army National Guard Deputy Director of 
Personnel (G1), serving in that capacity until March of 2021 when he 
was selected as the Director of Personnel and promoted to Colonel. In 
December 2022, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff, Iowa Army 
National Guard as his final assignment, retiring in August 2024 with 
over 27 years of service.
  Colonel Houston earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Iowa 
State University, a Master of Education from Graceland University, and 
a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Doug's 
military schools include Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, 
Combined Arms Service and Staff School, Intermediate Level Education 
(ILE)-Common Core (resident), ILE-Advanced Operations Course, the 
Recruiting and Retention Force Leadership Course, and the U.S. Army War 
College. Doug and his lovely wife of 30 years, Angela, have three 
children, Sydney-28, Jack-26 and Evan-23. They reside in Johnston, 
Iowa.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join me in applauding 
Colonel Doug Houston. Let's all extend our thanks and best wishes as he 
steps into his well-earned retirement.

                          ____________________