Lincoln-Way East Student Completes AFJROTC Flight Academy Program

FRANKFORT, IL — Colin Murphy, a senior student and an Air Force Junior ROTC cadet at Lincoln-Way East has completed the private pilot license training course at Purdue University, and has earned his private pilot license.

According to the district, Murphy is one of 150 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets around the world to receive the Chief of Staff of the Air Force scholarship from Headquarters Air Force Junior ROTC,
Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. More than 1,600 cadets applied for one of the 150 scholarships, valued at approximately $20,000.

The Flight Academy Scholarship Program is a new Air Force-level initiative, the district said. In collaboration with the commercial aviation industry to address the national civilian and
military pilot shortage, Air Force Junior ROTC has been charged by the Air Force Aircrew Crisis Task Force to bring back the “luster of aviation” to high school students and to increase diversity in aviation fields.

During Murphy’s time in the program, he faced many challenges, but completing the program is something he said he will always remember.

“I will never forget my experience at Purdue. It was a lot of work but in the end it was all more than worth the time. It was an honor to be a part of this program and would definitely recommend it to any cadet out there who aspires to be a pilot one day,” Murphy said in a release.

The application process for the summer 2020 program will begin in late September or early October.