President Joe Biden has nominated U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William Houston as director of the Department of Energy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
Houston, who currently commands the Naval Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic and Allied Submarine Command, will be promoted to the grade of admiral if the directorship is confirmed, Secretary of Defense and Wash100 Award honoree Lloyd Austin announced Wednesday.
Houston was appointed to his current posts in September 2021. Prior to that, he was director of the Undersea Warfare Division. He also served as deputy director of the U.S. Strategic Command’s Strategic Targeting and Nuclear Mission Planning unit.
His other flag assignments were as director of plans and operations of Naval Forces Europe-Africa, deputy commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, and commander of Submarine Group 8.
The vice admiral gained experience in nuclear propulsion through his roles as flag lieutenant for Commander Submarine Force Atlantic’s Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, principal director for nuclear matters at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and director of the Navy Personnel Command’s Submarine and Nuclear Propulsion Distribution division.
The service branch will be the center of the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Navy Summit, to be held on June 21. Register here to participate in the event.
