A Lenoir City High School student earned the highest rank of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and was honored by a surprise pinning at a recent Knoxville Ice Bears game.
Cadet Keegan Keck earned the title of Cadet Chief Petty Officer of his unit in the USNSCC Smoky Mountain Anchor Division, where he has been active for four years.
The rank is the highest any Sea Cadet can achieve and typically takes four years of determination and dedication. The distinction is the equivalent of reaching Eagle in the Boy Scouts or the Gold Award in Girl Scouts.
Although Keck knew the promotion was coming, he had no idea how.
Before the Ice Bears game began, Keck was selected as the puck dropper. Once on the ice, Todd Johnson, commanding officer, Starshine Keck, Keegan’s mother, and the division’s executive officer attached golden anchors on Keegan’s new uniform.
Johnson placed the chief’s cap on Keegan’s head, symbolizing his acceptance of the promotion.
“It was a very fun experience,” Keegan said. “I’ve never seen a chief pinning like this. It was very honoring that I was the first chief of our unit to have that big of a ceremony. … When I heard about the full plan, my heart skipped a beat, and I was very confused, surprised and nervous.”