The key to understanding and appreciating James Collins (Jimmy to his friends), a retired Weyerhaeuser executive and Army major general is to read between the lines of his life.

The man's experiences span both the civilian and military worlds, and his life is an instructive read.

"I become involved in things that are worthwhile, that make a contribution to society and are fun," he said as we sat in a local coffee shop.

"You could say I'm intellectually curious."

Born and raised in Arkansas, Collins graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1971 with a BS in Business Administration and a ROTC commission.

Following initial officer training he served in Germany and Georgia.  His intellectual abilities were soon noticed, and the Army selected him to serve as an applied organizational development specialist.

"I was a ‘process consultant' that commanding officers could use to make their organizations more effective," Collins explained.

When pressed to explain what he meant by "process consultant," he said that he would observe, conduct surveys, and look for steps that the commander could take to modify the command, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the organization.

"Because the commander had invited me into his unit and had given me open access to watch and listen I could make recommendations that brought value to the command," Collins said.

In other words, his career in the Army was not just that of the Soldier who necessarily put his boots on the ground; he was the Soldier who made sure that those Soldiers who put their boots on the ground were ready to complete the mission.

That's the end product of organizational - and mission - effectiveness.

After a decade of active duty service, Collins entered the civilian sector and maintained his ties with the military by serving in the Army Reserve.

His civilian work mirrored his military service.

Nearly three decades later, he retired as the vice president for procurement for the Weyerhaeuser Company, where he had used his organizational skills to great effect.

Not only had he led a team in the annual acquisition of $4 billion worth materials and services, he had also lead another team in the savings of over $30 million from a service contract.

In 2001 - as the global war on terror began to gather momentum - Collins was asked if he would come back on active duty to serve as Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff for I Corps, Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

In other words, he was back at Joint Base Lewis-McChord doing what he had done as a young officer at Fort Lewis - study the organization and then make suggestions that would make the organization more effective.  This time, though, he was in charge of the Corps Headquarters of 850 Soldiers and employees.

"Using the Socratic method, I could lead people to a solution," Collins said.

"I was working with smart people who were doing the right thing. That was the common denominator I worked with."

His consultations with brigade commanders preparing for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan helped to better prepare them and their Soldiers for deployments.

Collins' tone took on a well-earned measure of pride as he spoke.

"Today's Soldier is smart and possesses a great deal of dexterity," Collins pointed out.  Pointing out that many of the Soldiers who were captains and majors when he worked at JBLM are now in command positions, he added, "The future of the Army looks very good."

Since retiring from the Army in 2006, he has founded and led the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) Captain Meriwether Lewis Steilacoom subchapter, served as the chairman of the 2012 Sea Fair Festival, and contributed as a member of the TriWest Healthcare Executive Advisory Board.

This is notable work from a notable officer and business executive.

Secretary of the Army John McHugh certainly took notice. 

Since 2010, Collins has served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, or CASA.  Collins' area of responsibility is the state of Washington.

"In this role I will have access both to Army leaders and to community leaders from business, professional and government spheres," Collins said at the time of his investment.

"Having served as a uniformed leader in the Army during the current war, I have a reasonable understanding of our abilities and the needs of those men and women who serve."

It's only logical that his military and business experiences would lead him to create an organization that helps service members find employment.

Collins helped found Hire America's Heroes (www.hireamericasheroes.org) a 501(c) 3, non-profit corporation what endeavors to connect America's major corporations with the varied talents and abilities of military service members.

"Our next big event is a career day on February 15 in Seattle at Century Link Field," Collins explained.  "We expect up to 100 employers there, and all military jobseekers are welcome to attend."  Details and registration information are available at the Hire America's Heroes website.

Meeting and talking with Collins is an unfolding story about a life best read between the lines.