Capt Justin Zinkl is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 190 at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in Champaign, IL. He leads, recruits, trains, and mentors highly qualified men and women as prospective Air Force and Space Force officers. He promotes Air Force and Space Force career opportunities to university and high school students, faculty, administrators, and families. He also instructs university courses on Air Force history, doctrine, operations and Leadership.

Capt Zinkl commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in May 2018 through the AFROTC from Detachment 190, after earning his Bachelors of Science Degree in Agricultural Consumer Economics from UIUC. He also earned his Master of Science in Accountancy from UIUC in 2023. As a warranted Contracting Officer, Capt Zinkl has served in a variety of contracting specialist and leadership roles, including Officer in Charge of the Plans and Programs Flight with the 35th Contracting Squadron at Misawa Air Base Japan, and as Deputy Branch Chief of the Weather Systems Branch, Aerospace Management Division at Hanscom AFB, MA. Prior to his current assignment, Capt Zinkl served as the lead Contracting Officer for the Air Force’s Weather Systems Programs, supporting a $635M portfolio across 228 global locations.