He Served on the Home Front: Avalon Memorial Day Speaker’s Marine Service Included Notifying and Supporting Families of the Fallen

William Neill

This is not the post-career speaking tour William Neill envisioned.

The Rio Grande native and Middle Township High School graduate once expected to serve in the Marine Corps “until they threw me out.” That would have yielded a multi-decade career and lofty rank, perhaps even general, based on his rapid promotion rate.

Avalon’s 2025 Memorial Day speaker instead had to choose medical retirement in 2023 from the effects of a 2018 training-exercise injury. Now as a New Jersey ROTC instructor based in his roots, the 27-year-old Neill becomes one of the youngest Avalon Memorial Day speakers ever.

Yes, this speaking “deployment” came sooner than later, but Neill relishes it.

“Being selected to talk to the people of Avalon on Memorial Day is a tremendous honor for me,” he says. “I can go on about this forever. People have the luxury to do whatever they want in our country and it is often taken for granted. It’s a great idea to really hone in on the people that fought before us and the freedom we have because of that.

“When people thank me for my service, I think of the people who came before us,” he adds. “I want to thank them instead because they are the ones who gave us freedom of choice to be able to serve. It once wasn’t like this.”

The Memorial Day speech hits home for Neill.

It commemorates the fallen, an area he faced from a poignant, sensitive perspective in the Marine Corps. One of his jobs was notifying families that a loved one had been killed in the line of duty.

“It is very difficult because you have to go up to the families, just like in the movies,” he recalls. “You are also handling funeral details, which meant probably 500 to 600 of them for me. It is extremely hard, more mentally than anything. At some point, you get numb to the pain of it.

“Here I am, 25 years old, thinking about these younger soldiers. You would have Marines 18 or 19 years old, thinking they have their whole life ahead of them and now they are gone. Yes, it is very tough to have to give their loved ones this news, but at the same time, who am I to say it’s difficult to handle for me? Think of the families. Think of what they are going through.”

Neill’s first vision of a whole life ahead of him involved decades of service.

He practically grew up in the Wildwood Fire Department, watching the exploits of his father Greg and uncle Mike Neill. Several members or his family had been in various service branches.

When 9/11 hit, Mike Neill was called to New York to help. The events of that day, combined with his uncle’s role, launched young Neill toward a service career.

When he enlisted in the Marines during his junior year of high school, Neill went in as open contract and received the Military Occupational Specialist of 0111 (administration). After MOS school he was stationed at Stone Bay Camp Lejeune in North Carolina with the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. That’s where he did extensive combat training and technical training with the unit. Quickly promoted to E-3, he was slated for his first deployment.

Neill was subsequently promoted to E-4 and later picked up E-5 within the first year-and-a-half of being in the Marine Corps. He was then assigned as the Unit Color Sergeant, performing all Change of Command ceremonies and Marine Corps Birthday Balls.

Fate then intervened.

In 2018, he was injured during a training exercise in North Carolina when another Marine picked him up and threw him. Neill landed on his back and “being young and dumb,” kept pushing through subsequent hikes with backpacks, etc., while his injuries worsened.

That would derail a scheduled deployment to Iraq.

He ultimately requested orders and launched a second career realm that was not combat oriented.

Neill’s second tour was in Fort Devens, Mass., as a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO). He served as the uniformed Marine responsible for providing an in-person notification regarding deceased or missing soldiers.

Following notification, CACOs assist the next of kin with several issues. They include burial arrangements, applications for benefits and entitlements, contact with benevolent and philanthropic organizations, and obtaining reports of investigation. He performed more than 500 funeral details honoring the fallen Marines.

During both of his tours, Neill was in charge of training the honor guard at his units for funerals, memorial services, dedication ceremonies, parades, and other civic occasions. While stationed in Massachusetts, he performed in the color guard for the Boston Red Sox and many other big civilian events. He also worked with the Toys for Tots program collecting toys for underprivileged children during the holiday season.

Ultimately, Neill began feeling the effects from his injury and being unable to fully perform his duties. Neill was soon put on a medical retirement board. During this time, he would also pick up the rank of E-6 Staff Sergeant.

While home for a promotion ceremony to staff sergeant at Middle Township High School, he met the New Jersey ROTC instructor. When he was fully retired and moved back home, Neill took that same position, based at his old high school.

He leads and mentors the new citizens of tomorrow.

“My biggest goal is making sure the kids are growing,” he indicates. “We went to see them get better and gain the confidence that comes with that.

“Our mission is to truly provide, make better citizens of America. This is not a recruiting tool. This is a way for them to build confidence before they get out in the real world. We want to build great citizens.”

Neill says he relishes the Marine Corps giving back to the community with people like himself sharing their experience with high school students. In the meantime, he not only found work, but launched a business linked to his military background.

Semper Cans, which he founded in 2023, draws its name from Semper Fi, the official motto of the United States Marine Corps. The Latin phrase means “Always Faithful.” Semper Cans is a business that will clean, sanitize, and deodorize residential and commercial trash cans and dumpsters.

The complete motto of Neill’s company is “Always Faithful, Always Clean.” He has clients throughout Cape May County and is pleased with the performance of the business. He also has a settled life with wife Amanda and two children.

Neill’s life took a few different turns from what he expected in recent years. But he survived to talk about it before a captive Memorial Day audience.