Romeoville HS MCJROTC Program is Safe -- New Senior Instructor Hired

Valley View School District 365U had 60 days after the start of the 2013-2014 school year to find a senior instructor to head its Romeoville High School Marine Corps JROTC program. 

But only two weeks after the district held a town hall to discuss the program's future, the VVSD school board unanimously approved hiring such an instructor. 

Major Benjamin Bierly, who has served at the Marine Training and Education Command in Quantico, Virginia for the past five years, will assume his new duties July 1. Bierly is a recently retired Marine and educator with 20 years of service in the military. 

Valley View officials told the public June 10 there were only 14 candidates in the country who were qualified to fill the position. Superintendent James Mitchem said he was optimistic, however, that RHS' JROTC program would continue. 

On June 11, Dr. William McHenry, national program director at the training and education command center at Quantico, VA, said the situation would be remedied within a week. 

Superintendent James Mitchem has been "very aggressive, very proactive, very forthcoming to ensure the program will continue," McHenry said. 

Mitchem and other Valley View officials said June 10 they would approve a more enticing salary package for the instructor, if necessary. James Mitchem said he had elicited support from Rep. Dan Lipinski to “put full weight behind this initiative” to find a Marine Corp instructor.

“Romeoville High School is extremely excited to have Major Bierly join our staff for the upcoming school year,” said RHS Principal Derek Kinder. “Major Bierly will no doubt be a welcomed member of our community.”  

Duties prior to the Quantico assignment included Executive Officer for the 2nd Marine Logistics Group Headquarters Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Deputy Camp Commander for the 3rd Force Service Support Group in Okinawa Japan, and manager of logistics planning for the Marine Corps Logistics Command in Albany, Ga.

Bierly served as Chairman of the Finance and Budget Advisory Committee for the Stafford County (Virginia) public school system, where he was also active in church activities and coached youth baseball.

He holds a bachelor of science degree in history from the United States Naval Academy, as well as a master of arts degree in Government and a master of education degree, both from Regent University.

“I would like to thank all the students, parents, and community members for supporting Romeoville High School in the quest to find our newly acquired Senior Marine Instructor,” Kinder said. 

“I would especially like to thank the Marine Corps, Valley View School Board, and Superintendent Dr. James Mitchem and the senior leadership team for their commitment in securing such a highly regarded applicant to lead our MJROTC program to new levels of success.”