Sergeant Major Chet H. Houston
Support Battalion
Parris Island, South Carolina

The Sergeant Major of the Support Battalion is
Sergeant Major Chet H. Houston.

SgtMaj Houston is a devout Kansas City Chiefs football fan that is originally from Arkansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Arkansas City High School in May 1988.

Upon completion of recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in February 1989, Private First Class Houston attended the Basic Engineer Operators Course at Camp Lejeune, N.C.  After completion in June 1989, he was transferred to Landing Support Equipment Company, 3rd Landing Support Battalion, for duty as a heavy equipment operator.  In June 1990, Lance Corporal Houston was transferred to LSE Co., 2nd LSB, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.  It was with 2nd LSB that Lance Corporal Houston deployed to Southeast Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield/Storm.

Upon his return from Desert Storm, Corporal Houston served as a squad leader and platoon sergeant before being transferred to Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, Camp Pendleton, Calif., in June 1993.  During the majority of this tour, Sergeant Houston worked as the squadron’s ground operations officer.

In June 1996, Sergeant Houston completed Drill Instructor School at MCRD San Diego and began work in Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment.  He served as a drill instructor for five platoons and a senior drill instructor for an additional three platoons before being transferred.

In August 1999, Staff Sergeant Houston was transferred to the Base Safety Office, Marine Corps Base, Okinawa, Japan, for duty as the load test director.  He was also given the collateral duties as a motorcycle safety instructor at the Motorcycle Safety Course on Kadena Air Base in Japan.

During July 2002, Gunnery Sergeant Houston was assigned as the company gunnery sergeant for Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, and remained there until January 2004.

In January 2004, Gunnery Sergeant Houston transferred to the Staff Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy in Okinawa, Japan, and served as an instructor and faculty advisor for three classes before being reassigned as the course chief instructor.  As the chief instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Houston taught an additional eight classes before being selected to the rank of first sergeant.

After his selection, First Sergeant Houston was given orders to Inspector and Instructor duty in Battle Creek, Mich.  In this billet, First Sergeant Houston was responsible for two separate reserve companies; Engineer Support Company and Bridge Company Alpha as well as the inspector/instructor staff.  

First Sergeant Houston was transferred to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines Regiment, at Marine Corps Base, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, in April 2008, and deployed as the company first sergeant for India Company to the Al Anbar province of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In December 2009, Sergeant Major Houston assumed the duties as the battalion sergeant major for 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment,  - the “Island Warriors”.  Sergeant Major Houston deployed to the Nawa district in the Helmand province of Afghanistan from October 2010 until the battalion’s return in June 2011.  Sergeant Major Houston detached in September 2011, and reported to his current billet as the battalion sergeant major for Support Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, MCRD Parris Island, S.C.

                Sergeant Major Houston’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2nd award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3rd award), and the Combat Action Ribbon.  He graduated with honors from the University of Maryland, University College with a bachelor of science degree in management studies.