Name: House, Randolph W.
Title: Lt. General (Ret.) of the US Army
Texas A&M Class: 1967
Inducted: 2019
Randolph “Randy” W. House was born in Corpus Christi and grew up in southwest Houston, TX, attending Lamar High School. With family interests in agriculture in Louisiana, he actively participated in FFA and served as President of his high school chapter. He raised and showed cattle and trained horses, leading to a lifetime love for the cattle business.
House enrolled at Texas A&M University in 1963 and joined the Corps of Cadets. His undergraduate years were marked with success as a student, a leader, and an innovator. To fund his education, House raised cattle, worked in auction barns, and as a research assistant to Dr. A.B. Wooten, while also fulfilling his commitments to the Corps, and playing on the University handball team. His experience in the Corps of Cadets developed his leadership skills. His willingness to take initiative was exhibited when he developed a training regimen to prepare the younger cadets for their summer military exercises. He talked Coach Stallings into providing access to some athletic practice space to build an exercise course for the fitness program. House graduated in 1967 with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics, was commissioned in the United States Army, and began his 44-year military career as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam.
After his second tour in Vietnam concluded in 1971, House moved to South Carolina, where he attained his Master’s in Industrial Education from Clemson in 1975. As part of his graduate education, he aided Singer Sewing Machine Company in creating a training manual for their new line supervisors. His work enabled training times to be lowered and the education experience to be standardized. Although offered a position with Singer due to his accomplishments, House instead maintained his commitment to the United States Army. His professional interest in training and motivation of people is a hallmark of Lieutenant General (Ret.) House’s career.
House continued to find success in the military, serving as an Infantry Company Commander in Germany in 1975, Mechanized Infantry Commander at Fort Polk, TX in 1982, and Tank Brigade Commander during operation Desert Storm in the Middle East during 1990-1991. He is one of the few people in the military to have excelled in training across assignments in infantry, armory, and aviation as a helicopter pilot. Promoted in 1992 to Brigadier General, he served at Fort Carson and was Deputy Commandant at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. As a Major General in 1994, he commanded the US Army’s First Infantry Division followed by a tour at the Pentagon as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1996, he commanded the Eighth Army in Korea and then served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific command in Hawaii. Lt. General (Ret.) House is highly decorated, receiving many awards for valor, the Silver Star, the Soldiers medal, four Distinguished Flying Crosses and 32 Air Medals.
Lt. General (Ret.) House retired from the United States Army in 2001, but continued to serve in mentoring roles until 2011. He operates a cow-calf operation in Grimes County and remains active in the community as President of the Board of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Foundation. He serves as a mentor and guest lecturer in the Bush School of Government. Lt. General (Ret.) House enjoys spending time with his wife, Jeanie, his daughters, Karen and Ellen, his four grandchildren, and his cattle-ranching activities. The Houses currently live in College Station, TX.