Sorry, I'm a few days behind... Carol wrote:
Later we learn this *teen* is a Federation *officer*. Which goes along with my theory that military officers were put through an accelerated learning process that had them graduating from FSA before students in our era would have begun university.
She says she's an officer. Possibility: A bright young cadet is told "Kill Blake and smoke out his rebels, and there's an instant promotion for you." She's done it (with a little help from his friends), so she assumes the promotion.