President Joe Biden nominated Vice Adm. William Houston to be promoted to admiral and lead the Navy and Energy Department’s naval nuclear propulsion program, the Defense Department announced on May 3.
Houston currently serves in a tripartite role: commander of Naval Submarine Forces; commander of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and commander of Allied Submarine Command. He has served in his current position since September 2021.
His current position makes him the lead for the undersea domain and is responsible for the submarine force’s strategic vision while concurrently commanding all of the Atlantic Ocean-based American submarines, their crews and supporting shore activities as commander of Submarine Force Atlantic. This means he is also commander of Task Force (CTF) 114, CTF 88, and CTF 46.
Moreover, as commander of Allied Submarine Command, Houston is the principal undersea warfare advisor to all NATO strategic commanders.
If confirmed, Houston will succeed Adm. James Caldwell, who has served as director of the naval nuclear propulsion program since August 2015. Caldwell had succeeded former Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson after he was nominated to become CNO.
The naval nuclear propulsion program provides nuclear reactors for U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers and ensure their safe and reliable operation.
The program is responsible for all aspects of Navy nuclear propulsion including research, design, construction, testing, operation, maintenance and the ultimate disposition of propulsion plants. This includes managing all facilities, environmental safety, training and assignment of personnel and radiological controls at a network of research labs, shipyards, equipment contractors and suppliers and training facilities.
The director of naval reactors serves concurrently as deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which is responsible for maintaining the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, works on nuclear nonproliferation and provides the naval nuclear propulsion plants.
Previously, Houston served as director of the Undersea Warfare Division within the Office of Chief of Naval Operations (N97), commander of Submarine Group 8, deputy commander of 6th Fleet, special assistant to the Director of Naval Reactors for Personnel and Policy, and principal director for Nuclear Matters within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
It is unclear when Houston’s nomination will go through because it is on hold by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) along with over 100 other Defense Department military and civilian nominations over his opposition to Pentagon policies that allow service members to take out-of-state leave for reproductive healthcare, including abortions.