Today, I acknowledge the passing of a man who gave thirty-two years of distinguished service to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and to this nation, Force Chief Petty Officer Eric Brown.
Force Chief Petty Officer Brown enlisted on the 1st of May, 1978, when our Force was still finding its footing as an institution. He was among the generation of pioneers who built the foundation upon which we now stand.
His service record reads like a tour of the entire Defence Force. He served aboard HMBS Abaco. He wore the coveted green beret as a member of the Military Operations Platoon. He contributed to the Base Supply Department, Port Security, the Harbour Patrol Unit, and ultimately served as Master at Arms in the Administration Department. That appointment speaks to the trust his superiors placed in his judgment, professionalism, character, fairness, and integrity.
In 1988, Force Chief Petty Officer Brown was among a select few chosen to participate in the All Arms Commando Training at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, England. It is one of the most demanding military courses in the world. He did not simply attend. He completed it. That accomplishment alone tells you everything about his resolve.
He continued to sharpen himself throughout his career, completing the United States Coast Guard International Law Enforcement Training and the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Course with the Barbados Defence Force, among many others.
But the career trajectory and the training and development opportunities only tell part of the story.
His Divisional Officer wrote that Force Chief Petty Officer Brown was “a very dedicated Marine and Senior Enlisted” whose work ethic was “one to be admired.” He described a man who shared his knowledge freely with others. A man who was innovative. A man with good managerial and supervisory skills. A man whose physical conditioning, dress, and appearance were of an outstanding standard.
In short, a professional. A standard-bearer. The kind of Senior Enlisted that younger marines looked at and said, “That is who I want to become.”
On behalf of the Officers, Warrant Officers, Senior Enlisted, Junior Enlisted, Reserves, and Veterans of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Force Chief Petty Officer Eric Brown.
He served with honour. He served with distinction. And he helped build the Force that protects the Commonwealth of The Bahamas today.
May he rest in eternal peace.
