Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Fredricka King gave her final address to members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force during a farewell retirement ceremony at the Coral Harbour Base on January 27th 2020.
CPO King enlisted as a Marine Recruit on 21 September 1987 as a member of Woman Entry 2 and has since served in numerous billets throughout the force. Her 32 years of service allowed her the opportunity to work in the Supply Department as a Cook, Accountant, Bookkeeper and Inventory. She has also worked in essential departments within the organization, namely; Headquarters (Accounts Section), Commando Squadron, Training, Administration (Welfare Office) and Engineering (Planned Maintenance).
Her years of dedicated service and sacrifice were recognized at Coral Harbour Base in particular by Acting Base Executive Officer, Senior Lieutenant Elvis Bullard, who lauded Chief Petty Officer King for her exemplary service and positive impact left on the force. During the brief ceremony, CPO King was given ‘three cheers’ of chorus from the Officers and Marines present.
In her farewell address, CPO King shared words of encouragement to the force as a whole and more specifically to the senior members. She reminded them that their subordinates are most important and should always be cared for and valued. She also shared some of the personal values that kept her motivated throughout her years, and credited and thanked God for sustaining her throughout her rewarding career.
In attendance were Acting Commander Defence Force, Captain Raymond King, who is the husband of CPO King, and also her niece Mercedes Clarke, who is studying Marine Transportation at the Caribbean Maritime University. Captain King conveyed his heartfelt thanks to Chief Petty Officer King for her 32 years of outstanding service to the organization, and The Bahamas on behalf of his Executive Command, Officers, the Command Warrant Officer, Non-commissioned Officers and Junior Marines.