Kenneth Paul Bergquist Jr.

A life of service, honor, and respect is a life well lived. Ken Bergquist had a servant’s heart and an extraordinary life. He embraced challenges in every aspect of his life from athletics to his untiring efforts to improve the lives of soldiers, sailors, and their families.

Born in Washington DC to Alice and Kenneth Paul Bergquist, Sr., Ken grew up in a military family having lived at various Air Force bases in the US and abroad with his parents and his sister, Linda Bergquist Guy. He joined the ROTC at Stanford University and was a member of the swim team. After graduation, he received a commission and joined the United States Modern Pentathlon team before volunteering for duty in Vietnam. During his two combat tours in Vietnam, Ken received the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, the Combat Infantry Badge, and various other awards for valor. He used to joke that he was a “badge collector,” to include being qualified as a Special Forces Officer, Ranger, Master Freefell Parachutist, Special Operations Diver, and a graduate of the Army War College.

After leaving active duty, Ken attended the University of Texas Law School and graduated with honors. He served as a clandestine service officer and a paramilitary officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. Following service in the CIA, Ken was honored to serve as Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee under Senator Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming.

After President Ronald Reagan assumed office in 1980, Ken was appointed to the following positions: Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Deputy Assistant Attorney General (Legislative Affairs), and Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs). Under President George H. W. Bush, Ken served as the Associate Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the State Department, where he was responsible for interagency coordination to respond to acts of terror against the United States, both domestically and abroad.

In January 2000, at the request of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Commander of Special Operations Command, Ken was recalled to active duty as a Brigadier General to serve as the first president of the Joint Special Operations University. As such, he supported the mission to prepare Special Operations professionals to “address strategic and operational challenges, arming them with the ability to think through problems with knowledge, insight, and foresight.”

As a consequence of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Ken was detailed for special duty as the Special Operations Staff Director for the United States Central Command during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was responsible for staff management of the Unconventional Warfare and Special Operations campaign in Afghanistan and was instrumental in interagency coordination and preparing daily briefings for the Secretary of Defense based on interaction with field commanders in the war zone. Ken then retired from thirty-five years of both active and reserve duty.

In his retirement, Ken continued to contribute to the goals of the United States foreign policy and military interests with various industry jobs. In particular, Ken served as an advisor to the King of Jordan in crisis management and in the development and establishment of a Jordanian, national-level, crisis management center. He also became the Vice President of Operations and General Counsel of Jankel Tactical Systems, which produced blast-attenuating seats for the fleet of United States armored vehicles in both Iraq and Afghanistan. These new seats were instrumental and significantly reducing deaths, traumatic brain injury, and other impulse injury to armored vehicle mounted soldiers and marines subjected to improvised explosive devices. Ken worked tirelessly with the Department of Defense and the United States Congress to ensure adoption and funding of these life saving seats. Ken also served on the Board of Convergent3D, guiding the efforts to achieve the video processing software development of real time 3-dimensional night vision to enhance safety in armored vehicles.

Always an avid swimmer, for many years he enjoyed swimming with his masters teams in Washington, DC and Palm Beach, FL. In retirement, Ken and his wife, Jane Plewes Bergquist, lived a full life of adventure with friends all over the globe. He is survived by Jane, his children and their spouses, Kristen Bergquist Smethurst, Jay Smethurst, Katherine Bergquist McCoy and Trip McCoy, as well as his grandchildren, Emerson, Brooke, Lilly, and Chase, and his sister, Linda. He was beloved by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Ken faced his final battle with Parkinson’s disease with the same fierceness and grace that became the hallmark of his life. The great joy he felt for his grandchildren was undeniable and they gave him such pleasure. Ken also worked for others as his physical health declined with his “Friends and Family” law practice, making a real difference for people who needed his generous pro bono assistance. Ken continued to work for the safety of American fighter until the end authoring a white paper on the utilization of artificial intelligence in Special Operations.

From 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Ken lived his life with grit and grace and now may he rest in peace.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Trustbridge Hospice Foundation or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycockfuneralhomejupiter.com for the Bergquist family.