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Commissioned in 1911, the United States Naval Training Center located at Great Lakes, Illinois, played a significant role in training over 125,000 men during the First World War and over 1 million Bluejackets during World War II.
The Keel, a publication crafted for each graduating Recruit Training Command Class, served as a personal testament to their time at the Training Center. It featured their names, portraits, Company Commanders, and Commanders of the Training Center, offering a unique insight into their transformative journey.
In 1994, the Great Lakes Recruit Training Command (RTC) became the US Navy's only recruit training facility.
