James W. Houck
James W. Houck is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. He served as the 41st Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the United States Navy from 14 Aug. 2009 to 20 July 2012. He is currently on the faculty at Penn State Law and the Penn State School of International Affairs. Naval career Following graduation from the United States Naval Academy, Houck qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the destroyer USS Caron (DD 970). He then entered the Navy's Law Education Program and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School. He later earned a Master of Laws (International and Comparative Law) from the Georgetown University Law Center. Houck served from 2006–2009 as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy (DJAG) and Commander, Naval Legal Service Command. As DJAG, Houck served as the Deputy Department of Defense Representative for Ocean Policy Affairs (REPOPA). Before his appointment to flag rank, he served as special assistant for Legal and Legislative Matters to the secretary of the Navy and later as special counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations. He also served as the senior staff judge advocate for the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command/U.S. Atlantic Fleet as well as the