The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division serves as USACE’s tip of the spear in one of the most dynamic construction environments in the world, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, BUILDING CAPACITY, and ENHANCING SECURITY for our nation, allies, and partners. 

We deliver agile, responsive, and innovative, design, construction, engineering and contingency solutions in support of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and other global partners to advance national security interests.

Colonel Kenneth N. Reed

Commander

Transatlantic Expeditionary District
Published June 28, 2021

Colonel Kenneth N. Reed joined the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Transatlantic Expeditionary District on June 28, 2021. As Commander, he is in command of the District, which includes civilian, military, and contract employees who provide theater-wide engineering solutions and expertise in support of U. S. Coalition, and Host Nation efforts in order to enable the building of partner capacity within CENTCOM area of responsibility and to support overall CENTCOM mission objectives.

Colonel Reed is a native of Louisville, Alabama. He received a commission in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers after graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Alabama in December 1995.

He has held a variety of leadership and staff positions throughout his career at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.  His early company grade leadership assignments began with the 23rd and 16th Engineer Battalions, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Friedberg and Giessen, Germany, where he served as a Sapper and Support Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Maintenance Officer during Operation Joint Endeavor and Operation Joint Guard, Bosnia.

Following the Engineer Officer’s Advance Course, he joined the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas serving in multiple staff and command positions culminating as the Commander of Company B and HHC during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following Company Command, COL Reed served as the Battalion Executive Officer Observer, Controller, and Trainer for the 1st Battalion, 395th Regiment (EN).

After completing the Command and General Staff College, he served as a Military Transition Team Chief for the 9th Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division in Al Kisik, Iraq.

COL Reed returned to Fort Hood joining the 36th Engineer Brigade where served as the brigade’s Chief of Operations and later as the Battalion Executive and Operations Officer for the 8th Engineer Battalion during Operation Enduring Freedom under Task Force Trojan Horse. Later, COL Reed served as the Aide-de-Camp for the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Chief of Engineers in Washington, DC until being selected to command the 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, TX. 

After battalion command, COL Reed attended Senior Service College at the National Defense University’s Joint Advance Warfighting School in Norfolk, VA with a follow-on utilization tour at U.S. European Command (EUCOM) in Stuttgart Germany where he served as the Future Operations Branch Chief. 

Most recently, COL Reed served as the Brigade Commander for the Fort Worth District with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Colonel Reed’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Army Engineer Association’s Bronze and Silver Orders of the de Fleury Medal. His operational deployments include Operation Joint Endeavor (IFOR), Bosnia, Operation Joint Guard (SFOR), Bosnia, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Colonel Reed’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama, a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri at Rolla, and a Master of Science Degree in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University.  He also holds the Project Management Professional certification.