Air Force JROTC Could End At Bolingbrook HS Without More Instructors

BOLINGBROOK, IL — With the impending retirement of the current leader of the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Bolingbrook High School, Valley View School District must find not one, but two new instructors in order to continue the program.

The 47-year-old program, which currently has 85 BHS students, is led by Master Sergeant Tim Sinnaev. Sinnaev is retiring at the end of the current school year, in May.

Valley View Director of Community Relations Jim Blaney told Patch that the District was told earlier this school year that the program needed two instructors.

The program had been operating for a few years with just one instructor, but due to its size, is required to have two instructors.

"We're not the only [program] this has happened to," Blaney said, adding that 160 programs across the country are facing the same dilemma as Bolingbrook.

Nearly a decade ago, Romeoville High School, also a part of Valley View School District, had a similar issue, when it had to replace its Marine Corps JROTC commander, or face ending the program. The program was able to find instructors, and continues to this day.

Blaney said the Bolingbrook program is on "procedural probation," but that is not due to anything going on in the program or lack of performance.

"We're having difficulty filling the position," he said. The District has the instructor job application posted since the fall, but requirements of the job make the search harder.

While instructors are employed by the District, they have to meet standards set by the Air Force. According to the Air Force website, all AFJROTC instructors are retired Air Force commissioned and noncommissioned officers.

"The instructors maintain Air Force standards and are trained through the AFJROTC Junior Instructor Certification Course," the Air Force website states.

Community members and media attention have raised awareness about the program's needs, and Blaney said the District has now "had some people express interest."

Originally, the District had until the end of March to find two instructors, but the deadline has been extended until the end of the school year, in line with Sinnaev's retirement.

The job posting can be found on Valley View's website.