Georgia Military College (GMC) appointed Captain Michael S. Fredie, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired), as the new vice president of Junior College Operations. Fredie brings a wealth of experience and leadership from his 28 years as a commissioned officer.
Fredie will play a key role in leading the opportunities at GMC’s main campus in Milledgeville, overseeing the Junior College Corps of Cadets, Athletics, Public Safety, Army ROTC, and Student Activities.
“We are excited to welcome Captain Fredie to the GMC family,” said Colonel Nelson Kraft, USA (Ret), senior vice president for the Junior College at GMC. “His distinguished career and proven leadership in the U.S. Coast Guard will bring immense value to our institution. We are confident that his expertise will enhance our commitment to providing an outstanding educational experience for our students, student athletes and cadets.”
Fredie graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Government. Throughout his career, he held various leadership roles aboard U.S. Coast Guard cutters (USCGC), U.S. Naval warships, and while serving in Maritime Law Enforcement assignments to include USCGC MELLON, USNS VINDICATOR, USCGC RELIANCE, two assignments at Coast Guard Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, Coast Guard International Training Division, and two assignments at Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, to include Command.
Fredie spent most of his professional career focused on counter narco-terrorism operations, illegal migrant interdiction, living marine resource enforcement, and search & rescue operations, with the vast majority of his experience involving international engagement and joint service operations.
In addition to multiple underway deployments to the Bering Sea, the North Atlantic, the Eastern Pacific, the Caribbean Sea, and Arabian Gulf, he also conducted extended deployments to the countries Bolivia, Peru, Tunisia, Gabon, and Denmark.
Additionally, he served at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas as the Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the Bahamas and the Islands of Turks & Caicos to ensure these vital partner nations had direct access to Coast Guard resources and support.
In his final role, Fredie was the director of admissions for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he was responsible for the recruitment and selection of future commissioned officers. It was through the Coast Guard Academy that GMC got to know Fredie, as he worked closely with Coast Guard Academy Scholars here.
“I could not be more excited and honored to join this amazing team of teams at Georgia Military College,” said Fredie, USCG. “Having worked closely with GMC over the past few years, I can attest to how incredible of a place it is. I was blessed to see firsthand how GMC prepares young men and women from all across the nation to attend and flourish at each of the five U.S. Service Academies.
Now I have the opportunity of a lifetime to be part of GMC and help take their other exceptional cadet programs and JUCO Athletics to the highest level imagined.”
Fredie’s numerous military awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, and five Coast Guard Commendation Medals, are a testament to his exceptional service.
- Contributed