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Jeffrey Horneman works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers where, in Aviano, he visited the town where his grandfather was born.
Pittsburgh District as the deputy chief of the real estate office. Horneman Now he enjoys a full-time job in the real estate office in Pittsburgh.
has volunteered to provide free Taekwondo classes to youth through a His world travels have slowed, but the sense of purpose has not.
martial arts nonprofit for the last 20 years.
“I love what I do. I really do,” Horneman said.
“No. It means you’re now a beginner. Once you get your black belt,
you have just learned the basics,” he said. Helicopter flight over Pittsburgh District
Horneman considers himself a student in every avenue, including During the day, Horneman works full time for the Pittsburgh District’s
his professional career. real estate office. The district deals mostly with civil works, not military
construction. It has built and maintains dams that form reservoirs, locks
“You’re never an expert in life. You’re going to learn till the day you and dams to support river navigation, and local-protection projects to
die, and I hold very clear on that,” he said. reduce river flooding in places like Johnstown and Punxsutawney.
The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of He conducts in-depth research to determine the zoning, topography
managing property for the Pittsburgh District. and land acquisition to support meaningful infrastructure projects.
Professionally, Horneman works as a real estate specialist for the Those projects require federal land, which is constantly at risk of
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. encroachments. Horneman’s specialty helps the district protect property
Horneman first became a land surveyor when he joined the Army boundaries from landowners who build beyond their property lines.
Reserve at 17. He later switched into the Air Force Reserve, serving 24 “Our real estate office is tasked to defend the United States ownership
total years in the military. When he earned his surveyor license, it was rights as purchased,” he said.
a high honor in the profession, much like earning his Taekwondo To reduce the encroachment problem, Horneman worked with his
black belt. Both required grueling testing to earn, Horneman said. team to develop a multi-layered online tool that shows the latest federal

A licensed surveyor can review and approve property or boundary property lines across the country. Viewers can use the mapping tool to
work. Being licensed earns the surveyor a seal, which is a career reference layers such as parcel lines, regulatory boundaries, reservoirs,
achievement for them. channel lines and more.
Land survey work is a matter of precise measurements. Coincidentally, It took five years for Horneman and fellow team members to map
it was less than an inch that put Horneman on this career path. every inch of their Pittsburgh District territory, compiling thousands of

Survey work includes a mix of field time and office time, and it data points to serve the public.
involves problem-solving in ways that assist other officers maintain Jeffrey Horneman works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
data and make decisions. Pittsburgh District as the deputy chief of the real estate office. Horneman
When he enlisted in the Army, Horneman wanted to become a has volunteered to provide free Taekwondo classes to youth through a
military police soldier, or MP, with his best friend. They went through martial arts nonprofit for the last 20 years.
the processing station together, but recruiters told them they were a Yet, nothing worth doing happens overnight, Horneman
half-inch too short. They had to pick another job specialty. acknowledges. Whether it comes to earning a belt, achieving a licensed

“What else is there?” Horneman asked. Their minds had been fixed seal, or producing a digital mapping tool, Horneman said every
on becoming MPs, so they never considered anything else. achievement is part of a lifelong journey.
The recruiters looked at their test scores. Professionals are never masters in their craft, no matter what
pinnacle they reach, Horneman said.
“You got good geometry scores. You’re going to be a surveyor,” they
were told. “Father always considered himself a student, even being the highest
ranking person in the room,” he said. “I wholeheartedly follow Father’s
The two young men looked at each other, befuddled, looked back at philosophy, not only in Taekwondo but in life. I will never consider
the recruiter. myself an ‘expert surveyor.’ Each day I am learning more. I am a
“What the heck is that?” they asked. humble student, forever.”

They went forth and signed up, which turned into a great career choice. Reprinted with permission. Article originally appeared online at
“If I had been taller, I would be an MP right now, and my life story https://tinyurl.com/2chupkpn
would be completely different,” he said.
Thanks to his military-career choice, Horneman has been able to
travel the world. Survey work is in demand everywhere. He has deployed
to the Middle East multiple times and served in Germany and Italy

24 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 61 • NO 2 / 2025 • MARCH/APRIL