This week we honor Lieutenant Ken Washington who has a storied and continuing career of selfless service to the U.S. Army and Texas law enforcement. For Ken, the legacy of leadership and pursuit of excellence started in high school where during his 1990 Senior year, he led his teams to state championships in Basketball and Track. Ken attended the University of Texas San Antonio, and twice helped lead their basketball team to a championship title. He transferred to Houston Baptist University where he completed his collegiate basketball career, then participated in Pro-Am basketball out of San Antonio as he continued to pursue foreign basketball leagues during the summer months. Ultimately, a severe ankle injury and complications with the NBA players strike following the 1994-1995 season ended his dreams for professional basketball. In 1996, Ken graduated from Houston Baptist University with double major degrees in Speech and Communication.
Acting on humbling advice from a trusted mentor to pursue a career in law enforcement, Ken set his sights on the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). However, a twist of unlucky geographical fate put his #1 pick out of reach. After several years of rigorous evaluation of available choices, Ken joined the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) in 2002. Upon completion of academy training, Ken was assigned to Houston. Ken’s first complaint to his Sergeant came from a citizen that said that Ken was too tall, and that his height and stature in uniform was too intimidating! But now, as a rookie at the ripe old age of 31, Ken knew his career was lagging compared to his DPS colleagues. For many years prior, military recruiters advised Ken that at 6’9” he was too tall to join the military. Finally at the end of 2004, Ken enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 33, focused on a career as an Intelligence Analyst.
Ken attended basic training in the U.S. Army in October of 2004 at Fort Jackson, SC. He completed specialty Intel training at Ft. Huachuca, AZ and was then assigned to Ft. Hood. Ken’s unit was called to service for 30 days in New Orleans in August of 2005 after devastation from Hurricane Katrina. Helping the good people of Louisiana fight back from Katrina was gratifying for Ken. Witnessing the largest deployment of law enforcement in the history of the United States from officers and units from all 50 states to Louisiana was interesting …and a little eerie.
In August 2006, Ken deployed to Iraq with the 13th Corps Support Command (13th COSCOM). As Ken says, “summer in Iraq was hot!” The 13th provided the essential logistical foundation for the 2007 Iraq War troop surge, facilitating the movement and support for 20,000 troops while in theater. The most critical mission was protecting the thousands of supply convoys traveling throughout Iraq. Analyzing enemy activity of specific routes, identifying patterns of IED placements and ambush points, delivering daily briefings to commanders about the enemy’s size, disposition and likely course of action all culminated in actionable intelligence that saved lives.
Upon returning from Iraq in 2007, Ken decided to transition to an U.S. Army Reserve unit and became an Army Intel instructor. This experience offered Ken valuable insight about how the Intel community comes together and how they operate to become more effective. The alternative motivation for getting into the reserves was the intention of getting back to his career in uniformed law enforcement. In 2008, Ken joined the Pflugerville Police Department in Pflugerville, TX, where he spent the next five years.
In 2012, Ken’s Army reserve unit deployed to Afghanistan, with Ken serving in a similar Intel role with his Logistics Unit. Deployed to Kandahar, Ken found Afghanistan distinctly different from Iraq. In a more tribal environment, it was harder to make relationships, one of Ken’s core competencies. Undeterred, Ken always found a way to make memorable connections. From a 20 year old 6’11” Afghan soccer player that wanted to attend college in the U.S. to a dual U.S./Afghan citizen making millions of dollars operating a sporting goods vendor stall, to engaging conversations with Muslims about mosques in the United States, Ken’s personal experiences and his military contributions in Afghanistan made lasting impressions.
After the Afghanistan deployment Ken returned to Pflugerville Police Department. Soon after in November, 2013, Ken signed on as Patrol Deputy with the Montgomery County Constable Office, Precinct 3. He was promoted to Sergeant in November 2017. Simultaneously, Ken remained fully engaged and devoted to leading soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserves. Promotion to E-7 was soon followed with promotion to First Sergeant, E-8. Like a master stroke of bad luck, Ken’s promotion to First Sergeant coincided with COVID. His promotion ceremony was literally performed online via Microsoft Teams. He met his soldiers for the first time in person a full six months after assuming responsibility. COVID amplified the demanding role of First Sergeant tenfold. First Sergeant Washington excelled. Ensuring the well being and the Army’s standard of readiness for his soldiers became more than a fulltime job.
At the same time, Ken maintained his fulltime job with Montgomery County Constable’s Office, Pct. 3. On February 21, 2025, Ken graduated from the Leadership Command College (LCC) at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT). Known as “The West Point of Law Enforcement”, the LCC is often compared to the FBI National Academy for its rigor and prestige.
In 2026, Ken continues his career in the Army Reserves. He has been selected for the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA). Often referred to simply as the “E-9 school,” this prestigious institution is the capstone of the U.S. Army’s Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development System. This 10-month (42-week) resident course located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, begins in August 2026 and is the epitome of a career in the U.S. Army.
Today, Lieutenant Ken Washington is the Public Information Officer and the Community Engagement Officer for the Montgomery County Constable’s Office, Precinct 3. In these dual roles Ken serves as the strategic liaison between the Constable’s Office and the public. By synthesizing these responsibilities, he ensures that transparency and institutional accessibility are the cornerstones of Precinct 3 operations. Ken stands as an exceptional leader whose career has been entirely spent in the service of others. From the intelligence centers of the Middle East to the briefing rooms of Montgomery County, his legacy is one of institutional integrity and an unyielding commitment to taking care of his people. As he prepares for the next chapter of his military and law enforcement journey, his mission remains unchanged: to honor the uniform by serving those who wear it and the community it protects. Good luck Ken and thank you for your service! Congratulations on being MCN’s Veteran of the Week.