In March 2014 he was appointed to head the Joint Agency Coordination Centre during the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, and in the Australia Day Honours of 2015, he was knighted for this service.

[2] Houston was born on 9 June 1947 in Ayrshire, Scotland and educated at Strathallan School in Forgandenny, Perthshire.

[10] In 1980 he was awarded the Air Force Cross for an open sea rescue in gale-force winds off the coast of New South Wales in 1979.

9 Squadron to introduce the Black Hawk helicopter, to relocate the unit from Amberley to Townsville, Queensland, and to transfer the capability to the Australian Army.

[10] On promotion to group captain in July 1992, he assumed the post of Director Air Force Policy and negotiated the establishment of the RSAF Flying School at RAAF Base Pearce.

[14] As acting Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) in 2001, Houston played a central role in the Children Overboard Affair.

At a Senate inquiry in February 2002, Houston challenged the then government's claim made during the 2001 election campaign, that seafaring asylum seekers had thrown children overboard in a presumed ploy to secure rescue and passage to Australia.

[20] In June 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Houston would chair an expert group that would examine asylum seeker policy and prepare a report recommending a solution for the Government's consideration.

[22] On 30 March 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that Houston would head the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), based in Perth, formed to oversee the efforts to find Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

[25] The ceremony in which he was officially knighted was held on 17 April 2015 at Government House, Canberra by the Governor-General of Australia, General Sir Peter Cosgrove.

Weatherill also noted Houston's strong relationships with military leaders across Asia being potentially advantageous to the state.

[30] Houston is a member of the senior advisory group of the Indonesia-Australia Defence Alumni Association (IKAHAN).