Frede earns certification while serving country abroad

Published Jul 15, 2013 by
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Pictured above are, front row, Petty Officer Palaganas, Chief Avila, Senior Chief Fortier, Senior Chief Frede, Master Chief Davis, and Petty Officer DeStefano. Back Row: Petty Officer Lu, Chief Rankin, Petty Officer Miller, Petty Officer Curko, Senior Chief Ramnytz, Lieutenant Commander Prevatte, and Petty Officers Sanchez and Espos. With the awardees are their mentors (back row) who coached them, drilled them, and supported them through the process. (Contributed photo)

Pictured above are, front row, Petty Officer Palaganas, Chief Avila, Senior Chief Fortier, Senior Chief Frede, Master Chief Davis, and Petty Officer DeStefano. Back Row: Petty Officer Lu, Chief Rankin, Petty Officer Miller, Petty Officer Curko, Senior Chief Ramnytz, Lieutenant Commander Prevatte, and Petty Officers Sanchez and Espos. With the awardees are their mentors (back row) who coached them, drilled them, and supported them through the process. (Contributed photo)

U.S Navy veteran and reservist Pat Frede recently earned new certification while deployed to Africa.

Frede, who leads fundraising for East Carolina University’s College of Allied Health Sciences, hopes to return to ECU in time for Homecoming, she said. She was deployed in December and has been in Africa since March while attached to the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.

Frede recently was one of six sailors with the Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command who earned the designation of enlisted expeditionary warfare specialist. Each sailor had to complete a rigorous series of personnel qualification standards and demonstrate proficiency in expeditionary and combat skills by passing a written examination and a final qualification oral board.

Frede’s unit has been working to establish and enhance relations between military forces, governmental and non-governmental organizations and civilians. The group advises and assists local populations with their needs, ranging from establishing community watch programs to teaching villagers about protection of natural resources.

This is Frede’s second deployment in three years. She was in Afghanistan in 2009-2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

There, as part of her mission, Frede was embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps Female Engagement Teams who worked to develop relationships of trust and mutual respect with Afghan women, who generally aren’t allowed to have contact with men outside their families.

She also taught a course on the teams’ relevance in counterinsurgency and stability operations. She earned a presidential unit citation for the work in Helmand province.