Colin takes command of his future through AFJROTC

February 17, 2026

Northeast High School senior Colin fuels his passion for aerospace science in a high-flying focus program on campus.
 
Colin uses his organizational and management skills to become a leader in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) program. He traveled to Offutt Air Force Base, helped with community service projects and guided fellow cadets through their fall marching drill performances. He is currently restructuring the internal awards and decorations system used by the Lincoln Public Schools AFJROTC unit.
 
Colin said he is thankful for his involvement with AFJROTC. He said the program has been responsible for a large amount of personal growth over the past four years – leading to many life-changing opportunities.
 
“There’s been a lot of leadership development and a lot of character development,” Colin said. “It’s given me a chance to learn about myself a lot more and learn the standard of what to do and what not to do. With ROTC you kind of represent everybody, so if you act up, it goes on everybody else, too, so it teaches you to take accountability for your actions.”

 
Retired Master Sergeant Justin Twilley said he has been impressed with Colin’s emergence as a mentor to many fellow cadets. He is serving as a teaching assistant this semester and has encouraged other students with their classroom and community responsibilities.
 
“Colin has had some of the most rapid development of his leadership skills and his focus towards management of programs that I’ve seen,” Twilley said. “He is motivated and willing to excel, and he continuously looks for new ways to do so.”
 
Colin is part of a focus program that strives to develop citizens of character through an array of activities. Students complete aerospace science classes, perform color guard duties at LPS events and go on field trips across eastern Nebraska. They also take part in drill team, archery and physical fitness competitions, donate time to community service initiatives and learn personal skills such as teamwork and responsibility.
 
Colin joined the AFJROTC unit in 2022 because he was interested in an Air Force career. Focus program graduates also enroll in colleges and universities, attend trade schools and enter the workforce after they leave LPS.
 
Colin said he has enjoyed meeting fellow cadets in classes and activities. Twilley teaches aerospace science courses at Northeast High School, but students from all eight LPS high schools are enrolled in the program.
 
“A lot of my friends are from ROTC,” Colin said. “The people here are really nice, and the sergeants that we’ve had throughout the years have been good too. I’ve gotten a lot out of being here in the program.”

 
Colin said one of his favorite experiences came last year when he was selected to travel to Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue. He and several other cadets were invited to climb aboard a KC-135 aircraft as it prepared for a refueling mission. They watched with wonderment as the pilot directed the airplane off the runway, provided fuel to another aircraft and returned safely to the base during the one-hour trip.
 
“If I hadn’t joined ROTC, I never would have been on one of those,” Colin said. “It was pretty cool. It was my first time being on a plane ever, so to have my first time on a plane get to be on a military plane was really neat.”
 
Twilley, a 20-year Air Force veteran, has watched Colin perform equally well in the academic environment. Twilley told the cadets one morning that they would have 30 seconds to prepare an impromptu speech on a subject chosen by their classmates. When Colin learned he would be tasked with talking about bugs, he gathered his thoughts and presented information about a variety of insects at the front of the room.
 
Colin is now using those analytical abilities as part of a major project. The LPS unit sponsors an awards and decorations program that is designed to foster morale and recognize student achievements. Cadets can receive ribbons, medals, certificates and scholarships for their efforts throughout their AFJROTC tenure. Unit leaders acknowledge them for academic, leadership and community service accomplishments.

 
Twilley asked Colin this past fall to begin restructuring the local unit’s recognition system. Even though the project did not have to begin until the spring semester, Twilley noticed Colin working on the initial research well in advance of that starting date.
 
“He is one of my finest cadets,” Twilley said.
 
Colin said he would encourage other LPS students to consider joining AFJROTC. He was part of a welcoming crew of cadets who recently visited with eighth graders at Northeast. They shared their experiences as part of an outreach effort for the high-flying focus program.
 
“I would tell anybody to apply, because it’s worth it,” Colin said. “If they join and then decide not to continue, that’s fine, but if they want to stick through it, see where it takes you. There are a lot of opportunities that you’re never going to get in other programs if you’re not in ROTC.”
 
Interested in following Colin’s lead in the AFJROTC arena? Discover how to soar with our AFJROTC program today.
 
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