Biography

Since retiring from active duty in 2014, Ken Shook has worked as a financial advisor with First Command Financial Services and currently leads a team of eight advisors in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Shook’s final active-duty assignment was as Fleet Operational Law Counsel at U.S. Fleet Forces Command. His prior Judge Advocate General’s Corps assignments included serving as Staff Judge Advocate for Commander, Carrier Strike Group TWO; Personnel Law Branch Head at the Administrative Law Division (Code 13) of the Office of the Judge Advocate General; an Individual Augmentee deployment with Multi-National Corps-Iraq; Officer in Charge of the Navy Legal Service Office Central, Branch Office Memphis; Station Judge Advocate for Naval Station Norfolk; and defense counsel and defense team leader at Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic.

In 1985, Shook enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Pennsylvania State University in 1989 and later that year was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. Following flight training at NAS Pensacola, Florida, he was designated a Naval Flight Officer.

From 1991 to 1994, Shook served as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) with VF-74. During that tour, he deployed aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60) and attended the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School, TOPGUN. From 1994 to 1997, he served as a flight instructor with VF-101.

In 1997, Shook resigned his active-duty commission, joined the Naval Air Reserve’s Tactical Control Squadron 2186 at NAB Little Creek in Norfolk, Virginia, and entered law school. In 2000, he earned his Juris Doctor from the College of William & Mary Law School and was admitted to the Virginia State Bar.

After completing his legal studies, Shook entered private practice before returning to active duty in the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 2001. In 2010, he earned a Master of Laws in National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law from the George Washington University School of Law.

Shook remains a member of the Virginia State Bar in inactive status. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

His personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, four Navy Achievement Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, and various unit awards and citations.

A native of Washington, Pennsylvania, Shook is married to CDR Colleen Shook, JAGC, USN (Ret.), who serves with the Office of General Counsel at NAVFAC MIDLANT. They have three children: Ryan, Emily, and Kevin.