Kenneth D Rogers

Anchorage, Alaska

October 31, 2015

Age	Military	Rank	Unit/Location
43	Navy	CDR

From The News Guard thenewsguard.com 11/24/15:

CDR Kenneth D. Rogers - United States Navy
1972 - 2015
Ken Rogers, 43, was born in Anchorage, Alaska and moved to Portland, OR. a month later. At age 8 he moved to Beaverton, OR and at 14, to Lincoln City, OR and attended Taft High School, graduating class of 1991. He was an exchange student in New South Wales, Australia during that time and took up powerless gliding while there. It influenced Ken’s choice of an aviation career, as did his grandfather, a WW II pilot and he was inspired by a flight lesson at age 11. He loved aviation books and airplane models and later gifted his airplane collection to the Tillamook Air Museum. He chose the Univ. of Washington in Seattle and Navy ROTC, graduating with a History degree in 1995. In 2007 he received his MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School.
He earned his wings of gold in June of 1997 and had a highly successful aviation career flying F/A-18 Hornets with squadrons VFA-113, VFA-125 and VFA-151. Deploying from the USS Abraham Lincoln he flew missions in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan. CDR Rogers was chosen to be a Landing Signal Officer, Safety Officer, Instructor Pilot, and both Maintenance and Operations Department Head. As a squadron Department Head he directly contributed to the selection of VFA-151 for the highly prestigious and competitive Battle Excellence Award.
Since 2009, CDR Rogers has served with the NATO Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Center in Lisbon, Portugal overseeing the deployment of staff and analysis teams to Afghanistan, in Iraq as Deputy Navy Section Lead and Lead Foreign Military Sales Officer in Baghdad, and was chosen to lead over 300 contract, military and U.S. Government personnel at the Umm Qasr Contingency Operations Base. In 2013, CDR Rogers returned to Portugal to join Naval Striking and Support Forces, NATO where he served as the Maritime Strike Planner.
Commander Rogers’ personal awards include two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Medals, one Joint Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and numerous campaign and service ribbons.
Ken drowned in an accident on Oct. 31st in Lisbon, Portugal. He is survived by his wife Crystal and son Fletcher of Cascais, Portugal; mother Mary J. Bish of Lincoln City, OR; father Michael Rogers, wife Marcia, of Olympia, WA.; sister Melissa Rogers of Seattle, WA; step sisters Aline Bish of Hubbard, OR and Robin Bish of Portland, OR and stepbrother Bob Bish, Salem, OR and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
A NATO celebration of Ken’s life was held in Cascais, Portugal November 12, 2015. There will be a Veterans burial with full military honors on Saturday, Dec. 5th at 9:00 a.m. at the National Cemetery in Eagle Point, OR. Ken wished to be buried next to his Grandfather, a WWII Veteran and pilot. A Celebration of Life will be held the same day at 12:00 p.m. at the Wild River Event room in Wild River Publik House located at 533 NE F St. Grants Pass, OR 97526. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Fletcher Rogers Trust.

Returning Home, Click photo below:

December 3, 2015