Colonel Neikirk is a native of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and a 2003 graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is currently serving as the Commanding Officer, 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan.
Colonel Neikirk has served in all three active-duty Marine Divisions of the Fleet Marine Forces. In 2004, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 2d Battalion, 11th Marines and served as a provisional infantry platoon commander. He participated in Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah as well as combat operations in and around Ramadi and across Anbar province. His unit also secured polling sites during the first free and democratic elections in Iraq, as well as secured a border crossing with Saudi Arabia facilitating the Hajj. In 2005, he deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to Southeast Asia and the South China Sea. During this deployment, he participated in Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief efforts on Leyte Island in the Republic of the Philippines. In 2011, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a Battery Commander for 2d Battalion, 10th Marines. His battery was employed as provisional infantry supporting Regiment Combat Teams 5 and 6 securing Forward Operating Bases Delaram and Dwyer in the Helmand province. In 2012, he was assigned as the Operations Officer for 2d Battalion, 10th Marines. From 2020-2022 he served as the Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion, 12th Marines - working closely with the Joint Force in support of sea-denial and sea-control operations.
Colonel Neikirk has also held a variety of billets in the supporting establishment. From 2007 to 2010, he was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. He initially served as a Series Commander in 3rd Battalion before transferring to Support Battalion where he served as both a Company Commander and battalion Operations Officer. In 2010, he attended the Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia. In 2013, he served as the Staff Secretary for the 2d Marine Division. In 2014, he was assigned to the College of Naval Command and Staff in Newport, Rhode Island. From 2015-2018, he commanded Marine Corps Recruiting Station Raleigh, North Carolina. From 2018-2020, he was assigned to Special Operations Command, Pacific where he served as a deliberate planner before serving as Director of the Commander's Action Group. From 2022-2023, he attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government as a National Security Fellow.
Colonel Neikirk is a Joint Qualified Officer. His professional military education consists of The Basic School, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Expeditionary Warfare School, College of Naval Command and Staff, Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Professional Military Education Phase I and II, and Harvard Kennedy School National Security Fellow.
He is married to the love of his life and has two daughters.