Interview by Jason Vincent
Terry Houin: The newest member of the FE team
Job Title: Sensei of Things and Such
Background:
- 26 years as a Navy SEAL
- 17 Years in DEVGRU
- RECCE Team Leader and Sniper
- Rank of Master Chief
- Expert in mission planning and execution
- Elite proficiency with sniper systems, carbines, and sidearms
- Average annual workdays (training + deployments): 225 days per year
- Operational in Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans
- Assigned to the Agency for ops around the globe
- Spent so much time at war that he’s personally seen a rare midget terrorist
- Quiet professional
- Has never written a book
JV: Where were you born and raised?
TH: Plymouth, Indiana.
JV: Lived there your entire life?
TH: From birth until I joined the Navy.
JV: Play any sports?
TH: Wrestling, soccer, and swimming. Swam for four years in highschool. I probably could’ve been a better wrestler, but the season was the same as swimming, and a lot of my friends were on the swim team.
JV: What did you compete in?
TH: Butterfly and IM.
JV: How old were you when you joined the Navy?
TH: I joined at 18. Turned 19 in BUD/S [SEAL training].
JV: So, you were planning on doing the whole SEAL thing when you signed up?
TH: Yes; I signed up for the SEAL program.
JV: How old were you when you got out?
TH: 45.
JV: How many years in DEVGRU?
TH: 17.
JV: Why do you guys hate it when people call it SEAL Team 6?
TH: (Blank stare)
JV: (Blank Stare)
JV: We’ll stay off that.
TH: The people that know, know. The people that are interested can look it up. And the rest just don’t care.
JV: Makes sense. What squadron were you on in DEVRGU?
TH: Gold Team is where I started. And, then, uh, yeah. We’ll leave it at that.
JV: So you started at Gold but will not discuss names for where you moved to from there, correct?
TH: I moved into special projects and Agency work.
JV: One of the missions you went on was made into a movie, Captain Phillips. You’re my only friend and one of the few people alive that can actually say they’ve hunted pirates on the high seas. Would you say that was one of your most unique missions because of the whole pirate thing?
TH: I would say it’s one of the most unique. Everyone does Iraq and Afghanistan and a lot of land-based stuff, but to actually do a hostage rescue on the water, something we train for a lot…it’s just rare to get a mission like that.
JV: In terms of high-risk crazy missions, where would that one rate?
TH: Aside from skydiving at night to drop through a thunderstorm into the water, that was not really a blood-pumping mission. There wasn’t much high-stress stuff going on with it. Nothing crazy like some of the other stuff we were into, but it was very unique.
JV: How did you end up becoming a sniper?
TH: Growing up, being in the woods hunting and shooting, the sniper side was very appealing to me. At that time in my career, it was a course they only offered twice per year, and there were very limited spots, so it was sort of a goal to do some of that specialized training like sniper and free fall.
JV: And were you on a RECCE [reconnaissance] team before you became a team leader?
TH: Yes. So I was on assault teams first before transitioning to a RECCE team. Next, I moved to team leader and then other jobs after that.
JV: Have you ever been in one of those vehicle pursuits where you’re chasing someone down and shooting out the window?
TH: Well, I guess it wasn’t a vehicle pursuit, but we were in Iraq hunting some “Deck of Cards” guys. Me and Jeff were doing some low-vis patrol looking for targets. We were dressed in civilian clothes to blend-in and parked on the side of the road. We had some guys try to jack us, so we threw one in the trunk and took him back to the base.
JV: So you literally threw him in the trunk?
TH: Well, yeah, but we killed him first. So, long story short, he stuck a rusty 1911 in my face. I opened my door to try to create some space. He saw my gun and stepped back, and then I threw it into gear, did a J-turn, shot the guy with the gun, and the other jackers took off running. The Agency guys wanted to see who he was, so we put him in the trunk and brought him back to base. He turned out to be a random thief, and nobody wanted him, so they got rid of the body. It was actually on my birthday.
JV: So have you ever fired from a moving vehicle on a mission?
TH: Yeah, from helicopters.
JV: What was your favorite place to operate in?
TH: Probably Iraq because there was just so much work there. We were going on missions every single night. That was probably the absolute best.
JV: So pretty high-tempo.
TH: Yes, I was a team leader at that point, so I’d wake up, have a coffee, and go to the JOC [Joint Operations Center] to see what they were looking at. I’d pick a target—they were usually watching two, three, or four. I’d pick which one made the most sense for that night and start making a plan while everyone else was waking up. Then, we’d go out and take care of business. Come back, de-JOC, reload mags and go to bed.
JV: During this time of your life, when you would get leave, was there any time for you to hunt or fish?
TH: Yes. So, in 2005, I did my first Western elk hunt and that was kind of the realization point that I needed some decompression time between deployments. So I would get back from deployments, spend some time at home with my wife and daughters, and then cycle-in some hunting in the mountains or something.
JV: How was your lifestyle on the family? Was it tough?
TH: It was rough. My oldest daughter was born right after we got home from the Iraq invasion, and my youngest was born a year and a half after that. They grew up with that op tempo. Dad’s here, dad’s gone. I averaged 225 days away from the house.
JV: Per year?
TH: Yes. Part of that is deployments, and part of that is work-ups. It was probably rougher on my wife. The girls grew up with it.
JV: I’m sure. In terms of weapons proficiency, what are you most proficient with?
TH: Probably sniper systems. Every one of us is good with carbines and pistols, but it would be sniper systems where I’d move past other guys.
JV: What would’ve been your longest range successful shot on a deployment?
TH: Less than 200 yards. Well, maybe 200 yards.
JV: Really?
TH: Well, yeah. My team wasn’t hiding and waiting for someone to show themselves at 800 yards like some other groups do. We’re going to them and taking care of business and going home.
JV: So how has it been being out?
TH: It’s good. The transition was tough, but I left command and went to a training command for three years before I got out, so I had an off ramp from the op tempo. When I first showed up I would work 12 hour days, just because I was used to it. Which makes no sense, right? I’d show up at 6 a.m. and by 5 p.m., I was looking around, and nobody was there, and I was like, “This is stupid.” It took me a few months to get into a normal work rhythm which was good. I’m glad I didn’t just leave the command and retire because I would’ve driven my wife crazy. The biggest thing for me during that time was losing that tribe of guys and that purpose for what I was doing. I was home trying to be the perfect dad and my oldest was 15 at this point. They’re used to mom being the boss, and she has her system down. Then, all of the sudden, I’m trying to fill that role and causing problems. My wife was like, “Fuck off. We love you, but you’ve got to figure out a system of work and being home.” Which is where we are now. I’m gone for a week and then home for a week. I’m training different groups of people now and forming relationships, and it’s great.
JV: You’ve found a rhythm now that works?
TH: Yeah. I love sharing my knowledge to help other people. It’s kind of like, your tax dollars made me who I am, so I want to give that back as much as I can. If I can share my knowledge to make people’s lives better, then it’s a win/win.
JV: What’s your title at Field Ethos?
TH: Sensei of Things and Such. It means I can teach pretty much anything that’s applicable to what FE promotes. I have valid thoughts on training and gear reviews: what’s dumb when it comes to gear, what makes sense, and then leading Outrider trips.
JV: Any bucket list hunts?
TH: It would be Cape buffalo or random weird shit that most people don’t even know about. Cool places with cool people…sharing experiences and making memories.
JV: You ever get beer’d up in Brazil on the Amazon and decide to stalk and shoot a water buffalo with not enough gun?
TH: Maybe.
JV: Has your codename ever been Sweet T?
TH: I think we’re done here.
