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Commander Ken M. Houck ’88, began what would become an illustrious career with the United States Navy by doing what many young men do when arriving at college – he joined a fraternity. At 360 E. Hamilton – The Kingdom, Chi Phi, he fostered the very skills that would soon use during some iconic moments in US military history.
Brother Houck is now a retired US Navy Commander – a Commander who was part of the team that Rescued Captain Richard Phillips from Somali Pirates in 2009 and ended the life of former al-Qaeda tyrant, Usama Bin Laden in 2011.
“I am a retired Navy Seal Commander and former Commander of the team that ended Bin Laden’s reign, rescued Captain Richard Phillips, took down AMZ (Abu Musab al-Zarqawi), could have taken down Haqqanis but could not get permission. I got my MBA from William and Mary as a Spanish Linguist – did a few tours in the CIA. I am currently a full-time student at University of Maryland in Cyber Security. I’m a real estate pro, managing my two vacation homes – Sandbridge Beach, Va and Wintergreen Ski Golf Resort in Virginia. All Chi Phis get a 50% discount, so give me a call if interested!
There are so many memories from Chi Phi – too many to select just one. The ballroom blitz, the midnight run, throwing away the burlap, combine fight at FIJI, breaking stuff with Scott Hallman ‘87, Jim Curcio ‘88 and Frederick Harding ‘88. Then fighting in the snow, tube room blt videos, quarts festival, ben zagaraa week, tailgates, bringing back the pole-a-thon, getting poled, kidnapping pledges, bolt to UVA in the Ryder RV, and being elected Alpha.
Since graduating from Penn State, I was mainly involved with Navy Seal teams and did four tours in Afghanistan, four tours in Iraq, one in Pakistan, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Bosnia, Kosovo, Tanzania, Ecuador, Montenegro, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia, The United Kingdom, Norway, France, Venezuela, Peru, Columbia, and Chile.
I married the Chi Phi girl that got me poled and was blessed with three healthy boys. I retired after 25 years of service and enjoying hunting and fishing with (Frederick) Harding ’88 and poker with (Jon) Hopkins ‘89, (Steve) Saville ‘92, and (David) Convis ’88. I’ve done four marathons, two half marathons, skydiving, scuba diving on sunny days, and sailing/surfing. I was a scout master and a swimming, lacrosse, soccer, and martial arts coach and official and am an old man participant in golf, tennis, and skiing.
My oldest son Kenny is a Material Science Engineer at Virginia Tech, my middle son Collin is a junior in high school and is a scholar athlete in swimming and is ranked nationally as a gymnast. My youngest, Erik is in 8th grade and plays soccer and swims and wants to be a Broadway/movie star and win The Voice. He played in a Broadway production of Camelot as Tom, swinging a sword and delivering lines with the adults.
I got re-married on an island off of Venezuela and highly recommend traveling to Curacao- the diving was amazing and was very affordable and safe.
I’ve made it back to the Kingdom three times- once to the Blue-White game in 1998, the Michigan game in 2014 and the house re-opening.
I hope to get back more in the future. I am currently trying to take a ten-point from the hot tub on my deck at Wintergreen with the Crosman air bow I helped develop. If you like to hunt check it out. They have arrow and bullet versions that are crazy safe, accurate, and quiet.
