Transition: From Military to Civilian Engineer - Softcover

Simpkins, Daniel Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1035876523 ISBN 13: 9781035876525

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers, 2025

Synopsis

This book traces the journey of a young man who has had the good fortune to achieve his two boyhood dreams - to be a soldier, and to build bridges.
Dan spent 20 years as a soldier, made up of 14 years in the Regular Army and then 6 years in the Reserve, completing service as a Lieutenant Colonel. Dan experienced 12 months active service in the Vietnam War as a troop commander, followed by two years in Papua New Guinea building a road to Kokoda.
He achieved his second aim of bridge building by being involved in the construction of two major bridges across the Brisbane River - the Merivale Rail Bridge and the Gateway Bridge. Between those two, Dan commenced his own business as a contractor building bridges, but the enterprise was not financially successful.
The book concludes with details of varying experiences as a professional engineer, culminating in the successful completion of a road in Samoa, by solving technical and managerial problems, and surviving the horrendous Cyclone Val in December 1971.

About this title

About the Author

Daniel Robert Simpkins graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1963 as a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Engineers. He was selected to attend university in Adelaide to complete a degree in civil engineering. After completing 14 years in the Regular Army, he resigned at the age of 31 to commence employment in a professional capacity to further a childhood ambition to work on the construction of bridges. This book traces his life from RMC, from the age of 21 to 51, and the transition from military to civilian engineering. 

Edition details

• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1035876523
• ISBN 13: 9781035876525
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 303