Jeff McNeil, Ph.D.
Program Director for Psy.D. Clinical Psychology; Associate Professor
Education
- Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Western Michigan University
- M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Navy War College
- M.A. in Counseling from Asbury Seminary
- B.A. in Political Science from Michigan State University
Biography
Dr. Jeff McNeil has 25 years of experience as a US Army Psychologist, including over 20 years in Army and Joint Special Operations conducting assessment and selection. He served as the Chief Operational Psychologist for the US Army Talent Management Task Force. Prior to his retirement, he was the longest serving Operational Psychologist in the US Army. COL(Ret) McNeil served in Army and Joint Special Operations from 2001-2022, including the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Headquarters. He also served 5 years in a US Army Special Mission Unit and three years in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). Previous to special operations assignments, COL(Ret) McNeil served as the 82D Airborne Division Psychologist at Fort Bragg, and completed his internship at Dwight Eisenhower Medical Center at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
COL McNeil has conducted, validated, and assisted with the development of numerous assessment and selection courses over the last two decades. He is the former Army Operational Psychology Consultant to the Surgeon General. COL McNeil helped design the Operational Psychology in Personnel Selection Course for USASOC. As the Director of Psychological Applications at USASOC, he served on the Health, Performance and Wellness Council for the Commanding General. COL McNeil is a certified SERE Psychologist by the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency and has conducted several real-world and training reintegration missions. He is an Aeromedical Psychologist and has served as a non-rated crewmember with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. COL(Ret) McNeil has deployed in support of combat operations across CENTCOM and PACOM.
Credentials/Qualifications
- Licensed Psychologist State of Alabama
- Certified SERE psychologist (M6 SI), Joint Personnel Recovery Agency
- Aeromedical Psychologist (N7 SI)
- Parachutist (5P SI)
- Special Operations Officer SI (S1)
- Behavioral Science Consultation to Interrogation and Detention (8B SI)
- Expert Field Medical Badge
- Combat Medical Badge
- Aviation Crewmember Badge
Publications
Dean, P. & McNeil, J. (2012). Breaking the stigma of behavioral health care. Special Warfare, vol. 25 (2), pp. 6-9. AprilJune 2012.
Kennedy, C., Hacker Hughes, J., McNeil, J. (2012), A history of military psychology, in Kennedy, C. H. & Zillmer, E. A..
Military Psychology: Clinical and Operational Applications, Second Edition. Guilford Press: New York, NY.
Morgan, C.A., Bartlett, R., McNeil, J., Snyder, P., Southwick, S., Pietrzack, R. Baseline Burnout Symptoms Predict Visuospatial Executive Function During Survival School Training in Special Operations Military Personnel. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society, April, 2011.
McNeil, Jeffrey A. A Cognitive Approach to COIN [Counterinsurgency]: Countering Dangerous Beliefs. Defense & Security Analysis 26, no. 3 (September 2010): 273-288.
Morgan, C.A., McNeil, J., Factor Analysis of Survival School Didactic Instruction. Journal of Intelligence Research and Design (2010).
McNeil, J., Morgan, C.A. (2010). Cognition and decision making in extreme environments, in Military Neuropsychology. Springer Publishing Company: New York, NY.
Kennedy, C. and McNeil, J. (2006), A history of military psychology, in Kennedy, C. H. & Zillmer, E. A.. Military Psychology: Clinical and Operational Applications. Guilford Press: New York, NY.