Last modified Wed., September 27, 2006 - 03:33 PM
Originally created Thursday, September 28, 2006

Newly pinned chief follows family footsteps

By MC2 Jason Trevett, Special Contributor

MCC(AW) Dawn Montgomery renders a salute as a newly pinned chief petty officer. Her father, mother, stepfather and grandmother have all served in the U.S. Navy. Photos by MC2(AW) Suzi Cornell

Naval service is often a family tradition passed on through generations of Americans. MCC(AW) Dawn Montgomery, as-signed to Navy Public Affairs Center Detachment Jacksonville, is proudly keeping the tradition of Navy service - and particularly the chief petty officer heritage - alive in her family. Her grandmother served in the Navy, and her mother, father and stepfather are all retired Navy chief petty officers.

Montgomery was recently advanced to the rank of chief petty officer and earned her chief's anchors during a pinning ceremony Sept. 15.

Her mother and father pinned on her anchors with the same set her mother used to pin her father when he made chief in 1978. Montgomery's stepfather, James Secrease, a retired Navy senior chief, placed her new khaki cover on her head, completing the chief petty officer uniform.

Her mother, Valerie Secrease, a retired chief yeoman, was concluding her 21-year career when Montgomery joined the Navy as an airman recruit in 1996. She said a lot has changed since then. ''I don't think it is as strict today,'' she said.

''There have been many changes since I put on a Navy uniform, but one thing hasn't changed and that's our service member's commitment to defend our country and to excel.''

Montgomery's father, Robert Montgomery, a retired master chief, said when he first learned his little girl wanted to join the Navy, he had some reservations.

''After she graduated from boot camp and 'A' school, I could see she wasn't a little girl anymore,'' he said.

Montgomery was an avionics technician and served two tours in Vietnam with river patrol boat units.

Serving in a war zone would be something that father and daughter would someday have in common.

MCC(AW) Dawn Montgomery is pinned with her new chief anchors by her parents, retired Master Chief Robert Montgomery and retired Chief Valerie Secrease.Ê Her grandmother and stepfather have also served in the U.S. Navy.

In April, Montgomery returned from an eight-month tour in Balad, Iraq, where she served with Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Force Forward Group Papa as a customs inspector, checking personnel and equipment in and out of the country. ''I never thought I would share war stories with my daughter,'' Montgomery's father said.

''My father was surprised when I decided to enlist,'' she said. ''But my mother was really excited for me. It came natural because the Navy was always a part of my life.''

Enlisting as a photographer's mate, Montgomery said she has never regretted joining the active duty Navy and her later decision to go into the Navy Reserve.

''I've participated in joint exercises overseas and made a lot of great friends,'' she said.

''Like the old advertisement, I truly did 'join the Navy and see the world.'''

Montgomery is particularly proud that she was advanced to chief on her first attempt, in the competitive photographer's mate career field, and is now part of the inaugural class of mass communication specialist (MC) chiefs. The MC rating combines the skills of journalists, photographer's mates, lithographers and draftsmen.

''When I was a teenager it took a while for me to understand the accomplishments of my parent's Navy career,'' said Montgomery.

''The moment they pinned on my anchors, everything came full circle for me. I understood more about who my parents were growing up and the values they passed on to me. I created an extra bond with my parents and I will never forget that.''