Centennial Spotlight: The new generation carries the torch of proud forefathers
Michael Hardy / (news@averyjournal.com)
Every week in 2011, The Avery Journal-Times is celebrating the 100th birthdays of Avery County and Banner Elk with a Centennial Spotlight compiled by members of the local community. This week, we continue to provide answers to the 100 questions about Avery County posed in our print editions in January and February.
Tallil, Iraq, bears little resemblance to the mountains of Western North Carolina. One is arid and dry, and fraught with dangers, while the other is lush in the summertime or bathed in vibrant colors in the fall. Lt. Col. Christopher S. Houston (Sam) considers his native Blue Ridge Mountains “a little slice of Heaven on earth,” but currently finds himself charged with a monumental task in Iraq: Overseeing the dismantling of the American war machine while still under fire.
Born in Western North Carolina, Houston was the first person from Avery County to enter one of America's service academies, graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1987. While Houston has made it clear that his “decision to pursue a career in the Army” was his own, he comes from a long and distinguished line of military men. One great-great-grandfather served in the 6th North Carolina State Troops during the Civil War. William Houston, an uncle, was killed during World War II while flying a B-29 bomber over the Himalayas, and another uncle, Joe Houston, was a crewmember on a B-17. Sam's father, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, served during the Vietnam War. “The importance of service to country has always resonated loud and clear,” Houston recently said of his commitment to the defense of his country. “From the time I was old enough to remember, I've been taught that we live in the greatest nation in the world and serving the country is one of highest honors a person can achieve.”
Houston missed the Gulf War of the 1990s: “I was scheduled to [deploy] but the war ended almost as fast as it began. At first I, like many others, was disappointed to have missed out. I felt that I had missed my chance to serve in wartime.”
He no longer has that sense of missed opportunity. When the Iraq War began in March 2003, Houston had already spent two months in the Middle East. That first deployment lasted until February 2004. He was back in Iraq serving in January 2005, serving until July of that year, and then again in January 2007, serving until March 2008. His fourth and current deployment began in March 2011.
Much of Houston's service can be traced in the rise and fall of troop numbers in Iraq. When the war first started in 2003, there were 130,000 armed forces personnel serving in the area. At the end of his second deployment that number had grown to more than 150,000. Then came the troop surge of 2007, with somewhere between 170,000 and 200,000 soldiers in Iraq. That number has fallen to just 11,000 in November 2011.
In the past, Houston served as an Armor Branch Officer (Tanks). Later he was promoted to staff officer. Currently, he is in Combined Logistics Branch with specialty training in transportation.
Today, Houston is in command of 275th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The 275th is based out of Fort Lee, Va. On Oct. 21, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama declared that all remaining United States troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year. The conclusion of the Iraq War was a pledge Obama gave during his 2008 presidential bid. Houston's hefty responsibility is to orchestrate “the largest retrograde of combat forces undertaken by our military since the end of World War II.” There are 1,300 men under Houston's command, divided up into four companies with more than 400 heavy lift trucks, spread out over Iraq. They are responsible for moving everything, from hospital equipment to the huge Abrams M1 tanks. According to Houston, “It is a very daunting task." His battalion is the largest battalion currently serving in Iraq. "Our soldiers have been operating day and night throughout Iraq while moving hundreds of thousands of tons of equipment and cargo south to Kuwait.” Once in Kuwait, some of the equipment is bound for Afghanistan, where military operations are still ongoing. Much of the equipment will be sent back to the United States.
The mission – to turn over all operations over to the Iraq government and remove all property of the United States military, termed “Operation New Dawn” – is fraught with dangers. “Unlike the end of World War II or Desert Storm,” said Houston, “Operation New Dawn is being conducted without any cease fire or peace treaty. The enemy is still actively engaged in their efforts to disrupt our operations, destroy our equipment and kill our soldiers.” Since Iraq is still an active, and often dangerous, war zone, it takes a considerable amount of preparation and planning for the military to successfully complete the prescribed mission of de-mobilization.
Houston's many years in the army have brought numerous opportunities and accolades. Not only does Houston have a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, but he also has a master’s degree in business administration from Providence College. Houston is currently working through Army War College and is scheduled to graduate in 2012. He has numerous awards and decorations. When asked which of these were the most meaningful or important to him personally, he said, “I'd have to say the two Bronze Star medals I've earned are the most significant. My dad also has two Bronze Stars and, in a way, I feel I've linked his proud achievements during the Vietnam War to my own during Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn.” Houston added: “I'm also very proud of the Combat Action Badge. It signifies successful performance of duty while under hostile engagement by the enemy.”
Despite deployments in hostile and non-hostile areas all over the world, Houston considers Avery County home. He attended the local high school, playing football and running track. When asked about those experiences, Houston replied that these opportunities prepared him for his future service to our country. The local coach “taught the value of always placing the team first.” That lesson is one that Houston considers “valuable” and “is always echoed in the Army Warrior Ethos when it states Soldiers ‘will always place the mission first.’”
For those who might be inspired to follow in the footsteps of Houston and enter one of the military academies, he has this bit of advice: Take college entrance exams often and soon; take classes that are intensive in math, science and engineering; apply to other schools at the same time as applying to a service academy; remain physically fit; and, “Believe in yourself and never let anyone tell you a service academy is beyond your grasp.” For Houston, overseeing the responsible drawdown of forces in Iraq, that belief in himself has certainly proved true. Not only has he achieved what some thought impossible, he has been awarded for his service. In just a few weeks, he will be promoted to a full colonel, ample award for a job well done.
Tallil, Iraq, bears little resemblance to the mountains of Western North Carolina. One is arid and dry, and fraught with dangers, while the other is lush in the summertime or bathed in vibrant colors in the fall. Lt. Col. Christopher S. Houston (Sam) considers his native Blue Ridge Mountains “a little slice of Heaven on earth,” but currently finds himself charged with a monumental task in Iraq: Overseeing the dismantling of the American war machine while still under fire.
Born in Western North Carolina, Houston was the first person from Avery County to enter one of America's service academies, graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1987. While Houston has made it clear that his “decision to pursue a career in the Army” was his own, he comes from a long and distinguished line of military men. One great-great-grandfather served in the 6th North Carolina State Troops during the Civil War. William Houston, an uncle, was killed during World War II while flying a B-29 bomber over the Himalayas, and another uncle, Joe Houston, was a crewmember on a B-17. Sam's father, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, served during the Vietnam War. “The importance of service to country has always resonated loud and clear,” Houston recently said of his commitment to the defense of his country. “From the time I was old enough to remember, I've been taught that we live in the greatest nation in the world and serving the country is one of highest honors a person can achieve.”
Houston missed the Gulf War of the 1990s: “I was scheduled to [deploy] but the war ended almost as fast as it began. At first I, like many others, was disappointed to have missed out. I felt that I had missed my chance to serve in wartime.”
He no longer has that sense of missed opportunity. When the Iraq War began in March 2003, Houston had already spent two months in the Middle East. That first deployment lasted until February 2004. He was back in Iraq serving in January 2005, serving until July of that year, and then again in January 2007, serving until March 2008. His fourth and current deployment began in March 2011.
Much of Houston's service can be traced in the rise and fall of troop numbers in Iraq. When the war first started in 2003, there were 130,000 armed forces personnel serving in the area. At the end of his second deployment that number had grown to more than 150,000. Then came the troop surge of 2007, with somewhere between 170,000 and 200,000 soldiers in Iraq. That number has fallen to just 11,000 in November 2011.
In the past, Houston served as an Armor Branch Officer (Tanks). Later he was promoted to staff officer. Currently, he is in Combined Logistics Branch with specialty training in transportation.
Today, Houston is in command of 275th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The 275th is based out of Fort Lee, Va. On Oct. 21, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama declared that all remaining United States troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year. The conclusion of the Iraq War was a pledge Obama gave during his 2008 presidential bid. Houston's hefty responsibility is to orchestrate “the largest retrograde of combat forces undertaken by our military since the end of World War II.” There are 1,300 men under Houston's command, divided up into four companies with more than 400 heavy lift trucks, spread out over Iraq. They are responsible for moving everything, from hospital equipment to the huge Abrams M1 tanks. According to Houston, “It is a very daunting task." His battalion is the largest battalion currently serving in Iraq. "Our soldiers have been operating day and night throughout Iraq while moving hundreds of thousands of tons of equipment and cargo south to Kuwait.” Once in Kuwait, some of the equipment is bound for Afghanistan, where military operations are still ongoing. Much of the equipment will be sent back to the United States.
The mission – to turn over all operations over to the Iraq government and remove all property of the United States military, termed “Operation New Dawn” – is fraught with dangers. “Unlike the end of World War II or Desert Storm,” said Houston, “Operation New Dawn is being conducted without any cease fire or peace treaty. The enemy is still actively engaged in their efforts to disrupt our operations, destroy our equipment and kill our soldiers.” Since Iraq is still an active, and often dangerous, war zone, it takes a considerable amount of preparation and planning for the military to successfully complete the prescribed mission of de-mobilization.
Houston's many years in the army have brought numerous opportunities and accolades. Not only does Houston have a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, but he also has a master’s degree in business administration from Providence College. Houston is currently working through Army War College and is scheduled to graduate in 2012. He has numerous awards and decorations. When asked which of these were the most meaningful or important to him personally, he said, “I'd have to say the two Bronze Star medals I've earned are the most significant. My dad also has two Bronze Stars and, in a way, I feel I've linked his proud achievements during the Vietnam War to my own during Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn.” Houston added: “I'm also very proud of the Combat Action Badge. It signifies successful performance of duty while under hostile engagement by the enemy.”
Despite deployments in hostile and non-hostile areas all over the world, Houston considers Avery County home. He attended the local high school, playing football and running track. When asked about those experiences, Houston replied that these opportunities prepared him for his future service to our country. The local coach “taught the value of always placing the team first.” That lesson is one that Houston considers “valuable” and “is always echoed in the Army Warrior Ethos when it states Soldiers ‘will always place the mission first.’”
For those who might be inspired to follow in the footsteps of Houston and enter one of the military academies, he has this bit of advice: Take college entrance exams often and soon; take classes that are intensive in math, science and engineering; apply to other schools at the same time as applying to a service academy; remain physically fit; and, “Believe in yourself and never let anyone tell you a service academy is beyond your grasp.” For Houston, overseeing the responsible drawdown of forces in Iraq, that belief in himself has certainly proved true. Not only has he achieved what some thought impossible, he has been awarded for his service. In just a few weeks, he will be promoted to a full colonel, ample award for a job well done.
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