COLUMBUS, Ga. — Columbus city councilor and beloved community leader John House is expected to offer his resignation from city council this Tuesday, April 25, 2023. 

House says he has made the difficult decision to leave public office so that he may best care for his wife, Marilyn, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. 

In celebration of House’s lifetime of servant leadership for Columbus and our nation, we at the Muckraker decided to rake up some of the outstanding examples that House has set for us all to follow. 

Here’s a look at the incredible career and legacy of Colonel John House, Columbus City Councilor, District 10 At-Large. 

AN EARLY ACHIEVER

Shortly after graduating as valedictorian of Columbus High School’s Class of 1971, House began his adult life as an early achiever by proudly asking his wife Marilyn to marry him while he was only 19 years old. She said yes, and they’ve been together ever since for fifty years. 

House then went on to graduate from Airborne School while still an MS-3 Cadet in the ROTC program at Auburn University, despite the fact that he was dreadfully afraid of heights. 

While his wife Marilyn remained in her job as a secretary at Auburn University’s Counselor Education Department, House attended and graduated from Ranger School in the summer of 1974 — while still being a cadet — after being selected to attend the school instead of going to regular summer drill. According to lore, Marilyn snuck several onions in House’s rucksack so he could add them to his rations. Despite Marilyn’s covert efforts to keep her husband fed during his time at Ranger School, House lost 25 pounds throughout the excruciating leadership course, which, as any grunt will tell you, is an expected part of the elite school’s physical demands.

COMMISSIONING & EARLY CAREER

After graduating from Auburn University’s ROTC program, House received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army’s field artillery on June 5, 1975. With Marilyn at his side, the family moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma in their ‘75 Dodge Colt. 

After completing branch-specific training in field artillery as Forward Observer — an artilleryman who walks with infantry units to coordinate fire — Lt. & Mrs. House received orders to Fort Bragg, North Carolina for a three-year assignment so House could continue to “jump out of perfectly-good airplanes” as an officer of the 82nd Airborne Division. 

In 1977, after his family’s first taste of House being assigned overseas for a brief stint in Japan the year prior, House’s unit in the 82nd received an alert to prepare to deploy to Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo). After a brief diplomatic scramble, the mission was called off by President Jimmy Carter at the last minute without the 82nd’s deployment. 

Shortly after, now-1Lt. House won an Army Fellowship to complete his Master of Science in Business at Auburn University. While attending classes, House still found the time to volunteer with the university’s ROTC program, acting as a sort-of adjunct cadre on the cadets’ field exercises. 

While back at Auburn, the Iranian Hostage Crisis occurred. Though he wasn’t currently attached to the 82nd Airborne and unable to be part of any U.S. response, House picked up the phone and volunteered to be reassigned to take part in combat operations in response to the Iranian Revolution — though no such military action was thankfully required. House’s action in doing so was officially noted on his official service record. 

COLD WAR

After graduating, the family again received orders to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for House to attend the Field Artillery Advanced Officer Course, along with a promotion to the rank of Captain.

During the peak of the Cold War, and immediately after the completion of training at Fort Sill in 1980, House received orders to Weiler, West Germany to serve as the Assistant S-3 Officer — the staff office responsible for the planning and coordination of training and operations for a military unit. 

While still in Germany, now-Cpt. House received his first command of an artillery battery. According to a Christmas letter published by Marilyn in 1981: “John loved any place he could stay in mud up to his knees and have dust off the tank trail blowing in his face.”

As a testimony to House’s demonstrated ability as a military leader, House then received a second command position of a target acquisition battery in 1982.  House’s newly-appointed and coveted position saw the family move again to Grafenwoehr, Germany. While House led a unit to support cavalry patrols along the Czechoslovakian border, frequent terrorist attacks targeted the families of American troops throughout Germany. Though a few serious scares did occur which resulted in House periodically checking the family’s car for bombs, the House family was fortunate to avoid any dangerous encounters.

The family also was required to partake in non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO) in the event that a “hot war” broke out. 

MID CAREER

When their time in Germany came to an end, Cpt. & Mrs. House received orders to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1984, the family packed up and returned to the States where House served as an Operations Research Systems Analyst for the Combined Arms Operational Research Activity: an advanced and seriously-important post that compared different strategic approaches for army divisions in order to determine which ideas were best. In short, House was responsible for wargaming the movements of tens of thousands of American troops to see how the Army could best structure itself against its enemies. 

While serving in this capacity at Ft. Leavenworth, House still found the time to attain a second master’s degree in history from the University of Kansas, with his thesis published on the 1918 intervention in Siberia.

According to Marilyn, House’s time as an analyst in Ft. Leavenworth was described as follows: “He is still an operations research/systems analyst and definitely missing the smell of gunpowder in the field."

House then completed the Command and General Staff College in 1987, after which he was selected to attend the School of Advanced Military Studies. During SAMS, House spent an additional three weeks back in Germany to participate in large-scale field exercises. House graduated with his third master’s degree: a Master of Arts and Science from the Command and General Staff College.

After completion of their time at Ft Leavenworth, now-Maj. & Mrs. House were on the move again — though this time it was back to Georgia. House had received orders to Fort Stewart, Georgia as the G-2 Chief of Plans for the 24th Infantry Division. With a senior division-level staff office now under his charge, House worked to create products of military intelligence to help the division understand and analyze secret battle-related information. 

In 1989, and though an artillery officer by-trade, House served as the G-2 Intelligence Officer for the 24th Infantry Division through a 26-day NATO exercise with the Turkish Army — in Turkey. 

DESERT SHIELD/STORM

House was then finally able to get himself back to the “gun line” by seeking reassignment as the S-3 Officer of the 3rd Battalion of the 41st Field Artillery — a subunit of the 24th Infantry Division.

As Marilyn put it: “He spent most of July at the National Training Center in California, doing desert training. Obviously, someone has a plan for him.”

Marilyn’s intuition, as it turned out, was in fact spot-on. 

In 1990, after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, House deployed with the 24th Infantry Division from Ft. Stewart, Georgia to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield. 

“Now he is able to put some of that training to good use,” Marilyn said at the time in 1990. “They were only home maybe a week (from NTC in California) when the unit was alerted to pack up and head out for the desert. 

Marilyn, back home in Hinesville, Ga., kept her spirits up by making light of the situation, saying the following in an annual Christmas letter published in 1990: “John is living somewhere (unknown to me) in the Saudi desert, tanning his face and hands to a nice golden brown.”

While Marilyn ironically was attending a casualty briefing on Ft. Stewart on January 17, 1991, the infamous “air war” began as American forces began coordinated strategic bombing runs on Iraqi communications positions and vehicle convoys. She spent the early-morning hours each day glued to CNN watching the events unfold. House, on the other side of the world, was preparing to begin combat operations as part of Operation Desert Storm and cross the border from Saudi Arabia into Iraq. 

When the war had ended and House was returning home, he was flabbergasted to see his children — with American flags in-hand — featured in a half-page photo published in the March 11, 1991 issue of U.S. News And World Report. Needless to say, the family was very happy to have their daddy, Maj. House, home safely. 

CONTINUED EDUCATION

After House’s return home, he took up a position as the 24th Infantry Division’s Artillery S-3 Officer. With his recent experiences from Desert Storm, House now oversaw the operations and training of three battalions of cannons and an additional three separate batteries. 

House was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel shortly after in 1992. 

Upon his promotion,  Lt. Col. & Mrs. House received orders back to Germany, where House received command of 6-29 Field Artillery; a multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) battalion in in Idar-Oberstein.

In October 1992, House participated in five wreath-laying ceremonies at the Verdun and Meuse-Argonne battlefields. House has relatives who perished in the fighting of World War I and are buried in the Meuse-Argonne cemetery. An article published by The Stars And Stripes featured House’s story about the event.

House was then selected to attend the U.S. Navy War College — yes, Navy — in 1994, moving the family back to the States again the following summer bound for Newport, Rhode Island. 

House graduated from the USNWC in 1996 with his fourth master’s degree, this one in National Security and Strategic Studies. 

HIGHER COMMAND

With his new degree in-hand, House’s new assignment was as the Army Research Director, which, according to Marilyn’s description of House’s words, means he “spied on the Navy for the Army.” House’s new role also included strategic wargaming for the Army After Next project.

In 1997, the family relocated again to Hampton, Virginia, with House assigned to the TRADOC Deputy Chief of Staff for Doctrine Wargaming Directorate.

House was then formally promoted to Colonel. 

In 1998, House received orders for an accompanied two-year tour in South Korea, where he commanded Army Support Activity for Area III at Camp Humphreys with Marilyn by his side. 

The family returned to the States in 2000, where House served as the Chief of Advanced Concepts in DCSOPS of FORSCOM in Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia. 

After 26 years, House retired from his astonishing career of military service in 2001. 

CONTINUED SERVICE

After his retirement from the United States Army, House worked as a consultant for several defense industry companies while also continuing to serve his community.

House remains a staunch advocate for veterans, served as a part-time instructor of administration at Columbus State University, and also volunteers regularly at the National Infantry Museum. 

In 2012, House ran for office in the U.S. House of Representatives, winning the primary election. The general election was later won by Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Albany).

When Mayor Skip Henderson vacated his seat on city council in 2018 for his run for mayor, House won the special election to complete the remainder of the term as Columbus’ District 10 City Councilor At-Large. 

In 2020, House ran for and won re-election.

House has continued to serve our city honorably and with the utmost esteem of his fellow councilors and the people of Columbus.

Our city is eternally grateful for his many years of devoted and faithful service, both here in his hometown of Columbus, and across the world. 

It is with no doubt that we will all continue to hold Col. John House in the highest regard. 

We look forward to continuing to follow his excellent example as he enters this new chapter of his life. 

From us at the Muckraker: Thank you, John House.

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