Bryan Jack Memorial

by: Jim Bexfield, FS

We lost a long-time MORSian and valued friend on September 11th. Bryan Jack, a member of the Board of Directors from 1983 to 1987, was aboard American Airlines Flight 77 when it hit the Pentagon not more than 200 feet from his office. He was on his way to give a lecture at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Bryan had worked in the Programming Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E) Directorate of the Office of the Secretary of Defense for 23 years. For the last 6 years, he was the Director of the Programming and Fiscal Economics Division. In this position he was responsible for the design and maintenance of the Future Years Defense Program and the development of fiscal guidance by which the Secretary of Defense annually allocates funding to the military departments and defense agencies. Twice he was awarded the Defense Exceptional Service Medal (1998 and 2000).

Bryan was the Texas high school state debate champion. He graduated from California Institute of Technology in 1974, achieved an MBA from Stanford in 1978, and earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland in 1991. Bryan's interests included hiking, classical music, photography, and art. He married his long-time companion, Barbara Rachko, in June. Barbara is an artist in New York City where they had just purchased a condo not too far from the World Trade Center.

But Bryan Jack was more than a professional friend to me. He was also my next-door neighbor. Bryan and I could see each other from our kitchen windows. My wife and I have one of Barbara's paintings hanging in our living room. We frequently shared holiday festivities. He watched my daughter Kathryn grow from a tiny 2-year old to a mature 20-year old. Shortly after the events of 9/11, Kathryn's college sociology professor asked each student to share their thoughts on what had happened. Here is what she said about Bryan.

My friend and closest neighbor, a tall, lanky, nerdy guy that I have known for 18 years of my life, was on the plane from Dulles to LA. I had known him longer and was closer to him than I was to my grandmother when she died 4 years ago. He was always on the other side of the fence.

Let me tell you a little bit about Bryan. He was in his mid-40's, he worked at the Pentagon and was incredibly intelligent. He was the epitome of a "Renaissance Man." I was always in awe of his bottomless pit of a brain, pulling out random facts about everything. Whenever we went on vacation, he picked up our newspaper, and we did the same for him. I fed his fish for a dollar a day when I was younger. He randomly stopped by to give us incredible pecan pies. He gave me a graduation gift — two books he really spent time to select, and presented them to me excitedly. He just got married 3 months ago.

Bryan Jack was a talented, hard working patriot who always had a kind word to say about everyone. He will be missed.