JAMES MARSHALL NEIL was born in Minot, ND, the son of Winfield Scott and Theresa Marie (Kramer) Neil. Winfield died nine years later, and Jim and his older sister Jean were raised by their mother during the hard Depression years. Jim was a diligent and bright youngster who advanced a year in school while working before and after school to help meet family expenses. He had little time for hobbies. After high school graduation in 1944, he went right to work, and in the fall he enlisted in the Navy to support himself and serve his country. In spring 1945, he received a congressional appointment to the Academy. WWII ended just weeks after he entered West Point, but he chose to complete his education and serve another 26 years as a commissioned officer.

Jim was a wholesome, dedicated, diligent, cheerful, and unselfish classmate. He excelled in academics and participated in track, crosscountry skiing and lacrosse. He graduated 30th in his class and chose the Corps of Engineers. His roommates and companymates remember Jim as diligent to a fault but never too busy with his own tasks not to help out another, be it a physical or an academic need. It is noteworthy that, more than 50 years later, his colleagues, both in and out of the military, considered Jim's passion to mentor perhaps his hallmark trait.

Jids first troop assignment placed him in an Army unit attached to the newly established U.S. Air Force identified as SCAR WAF (Special Category Army with Air Force). This interim program was created to provide military engineering services to the Air Force. During the Korean War, Jim was initially assigned to a unit responsible for repair and improvement of the airstrips in Okinawa. His next assignment took him to Korea, where he conducted extensive site analysis, chose the location, and designed the airport in Osan. This airport remains in use today and was one of Jim's most memorable professional accomplishments.

When he returned from Korea, he took the opportunity to marry Dolores Conlon, his high school sweetheart from Minot, who had patiently waited through the four years at West Point and then three more years for a war.

Jim commanded at the company and battalion level, the latter taking Jim to Korea for his third tour. Jim was selected to teach engineering at West Point after he earned his master's degree at Texas A & M. He earned his engineer license in New York on that tour. He also taught at CGSC at Ft. Leavenworth, earned a private and a commercial pilot's license there, and led a group of Vlet Nam War veterans assigned to write a field manual on internal defense. Although Jim had not been to Viet Nam, he was described as the consummate leader by Bill Alverson, an ROTC-commissioned infantryman on the task force, and the field manual was used throughout branch service schools for years. Jim's major assignments with the Corps of Engineers included Deputy District Engineer in Buffalo, NY; Chief of the Engineering Division of USAREUR; and Deputy Commandant for Training and Education at the Engineer School at Ft. Belvoir, VA. It was there that Jim retired in 1975 after 26 years of service.

Throughout his career, Jim never sought recognition for himself. What he sought and found was the inner peace that he had carried his share of the burden of the Long Gray Line, and that those who were placed in his charge were given credit where credit was due.

Having fulfilled his obligation to his alma mater, Jim could not contain his urge to mentor. Immediately after retiring, Jim enrolled at Texas A & M in pursuit of his Ph.D. in civil engineering while teaching there as well. It was here that he became fascinated with cost estimating and small project management and published two textbooks on the subject. After six years, Jim had fashioned a whole new persona. He now was in demand by the construction industry, in particular Morrison Knudsen of Boise, ID. For the next ten years he was a consultant to the MK president, and he became very active in the American Association of Cost Engineers (RACE), including serving on their education board. He received the RACE Award of Merit, was made a fellow and, in 1999, an honorary life member. Starting in 1984, Jim chaired the cost/schedule task force that produced ten publications for the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and many other CII instruction modules on small project management now in wide use at the collegiate level.

A colleague credits Jim with helping to define their profession and laying the foundation for much of what is today recognized as fundamental concepts for the cost and management profession. After 1991, Jim operated his own consulting business, published another manual on Value Engineering, and continued to travel the lecture circuit at NASA, the University of Texas, Clemson, and Arizona State University. In 2003, CII gave him the CII Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award.

Jim's life was not all work, however. He was an avid skier, fly fisherman, and golfer. He enjoyed woodworking and, consistent with his pursuit of perfection, his products were of the highest quality.

Jim served for three years as president of the local Retired Officers Association (now Military Officers Association of America) chapter. He was an associate member of the Assistance League of Boise, where he oversaw the design and construction of the philanthropic center.

Jim did not retire a second time. He died quietly in his patio chair at the end of another day between lecture trips. Jim was a remarkable officer, engineer, mentor, friend, husband, father, and grandfather. One colleague said it so well: "Somehow, when Jim Neil is around, everything works out better." We shall now have to find solace and encouragement in our memories of him.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2005 TAPS

Personal Eulogy