Our distinguished Guest Speaker: LTC (Ret) DR JOHN E. HOUK, DO, MPH, MBA, FACOEM, CPE, MFS John was born and raised in Clinton, MO. He was commissioned as an Infantry officer from the United States Military Academy in 1997. He was recommissioned in 2001 as a Special Forces officer and then as a Medical Corps officer in 2011. EDUCATION: With his BS from USMA, Dr Houk holds a Doctorate of Osteopathy from Kansas City University, a Master of Public Health from the University of West Florida, and an MBA from Texas A&M. He completed occupational medicine residency with the US Army and aerospace medicine residency with the US Navy in NAS Pensacola. ASSIGNMENT HIGHLIGHTS: Following initial infantry and Ranger training, Dr Houk served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a platoon leader with airfield seizure missions, deploying to Kuwait during Desert Fox. He earned his green beret in 2001, joining ODA 986 in Afghanistan for OEF1 and OEF2. Over the next decade—spanning private security leadership in Iraq (OIF1), combat deployments, TRADOC consulting, and ROTC instruction—he completed medical school in 2011. At 7th Special Forces Group, he oversaw medical support for covert operations and designed the Army Occupational Medicine Residency capstone rotation. As USASOAC Command Surgeon, Dr Houk led aviation medicine modernization across Special Operations. At SOCENT, he evaluated threats, set Middle East deployment requirements, supported combat operations, and coordinated regional health efforts. Retiring in 2024, he became Campbell County Health's first full-time Chief Medical Officer before becoming Chief of Staff at the Augusta VA Hospital in 2026. SIGNIFICANT DECORATIONS include: Combat/Expert Infantryman Badges; Special Forces Tab; Ranger Tab; Master Jumpmaster; Master Flight Surgeon; Legion of Merit; Order of Aeromedical Merit; Army Flight Surgeon of the Year; Army Aerospace Medicine Specialist of the Year; Army Aerospace Med Residency Instructor of the Year. He is a fellow of the Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, and Certified Healthcare Financial Professional. John's oldest son is a cadet at USMA. He, his wife, and two younger children reside in Augusta, GA. He loves the Lord, his family, the outdoors, and baseball.