Team,

It’s with a heavy heart, a nice delicious chew, and a Mickeys Wide Mouth by my side, that I sit down to say fare well to our friend and teammate CMSgt Fredrick “Fredzo” Jenkins.  Fredzo left us while on yet another adventure in true PJ fashion. This time, he was diving, “catching buggs” in the Florida Keys at the opening of the lobster season when the lord said, “it’s time Fred”. He was in his environment and doing what he loved to do… being active, doing something physically tough, to help a friend, and of course to…catch and eat lobster!   

Fredzo will be missed by all of us but especially by his wife Hilly and his two sons, Nicolas and Paul.  As good and as proud that he was of his career as a PJ, Fredzo was first a husband and father and our deepest sympathies go out to them as they try to take this all in and realize Fred will not be walking back through the front door after a trip as he always has in the past.  For those of you that can make it, Hilly has invited y’all to stop by and share some Fredzo memories with the family at their home in Amherst, VA around midday on September 15, 2018.

I first met MSgt Jenkins at Hill AFB, UT in 1981.  He was 30 years old, with assignments in Thailand (Vietnam War), Eglin AFB, FL, and RAF Woodbridge, under his belt.  Fred was in his prime, a freshly striped MSgt on his first assignment as an NCOIC. Our team… Larry Williams, Jim Derrick, Alan Manual, Dave Vogele, Randy Galloway, Rick Smith, and myself were a bit awed by the MSgt with two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, and a Bronze Star. He was also an awesome climber and his expertise was well known throughout the Pararescues community far from the epicenter near Cobden’s Pub in North Wales.  But Fredzo quickly made us all comfortable with his pleasant, friendly demeanor and great sense of humor, forming a tight team with him as the nucleus.  Fredzo had a way of getting the best out of you by pushing you just beyond your comfort zone. Sometimes on a climbing route he would put me on lead and when I got “assholed”, he would yell up, “I think I see a nubbin on the right” and 9 times out of 10, I’d find that nubbin and be able to make the next move up the face.  Another Fredzo thing, was challenging the team to complete the annual Bear Gutsman Race, a half marathon without a trail, straight up the mountain to Francis Peak and then along the ridge to Bountiful. Fredzo always lead from the front and was usually waiting at the finish line, providing encouragement to his team as we crossed.      

Fred was good at everything to do with sports, climbing, baseball (played for the Air Force Team), football, racquetball, golf, running, swimming, and yes even fishing, “fissin” as Fred would say.  He was also an Air Force Champion racquetball player, Fred used to challenge Rick Smith and I to racquetball matches (when he could not get anyone else to challenge him) and spot us 12 points in a game to 15.  He would beat us 15-12 and then challenge us playing with his left hand and again beat us 15-12.  Once I smacked him with the ball when he was running back to get in position… bad idea… next volley he sent a rocket shot right into my calf… I couldn’t walk for a week. Lesson learned.

After his assignment at Hill, Fredzo went to serve assignments at Eglin AFB, FL and then on to critical assignments leading the career field, first at Scott AFB, IL where he worked to help Pararescue through a very difficult time in the late 1980’s and then as the first Functional Manager of Pararescue for Air Combat Command at Langley AFB, VA integrating Pararescue into the Combat Air Forces now the lead command for the Guardian Angel Weapon System.  It was during this time that Fred while on a helicopter flight over the Blue Ridge mountains saw the mountaintop that would become his family’s final home.  Fred, a man of action, immediately went out to find the owner and closed the deal and took to building the Jenkins Family homestead.

Fred retired from the Air Force after 25 years and took to using his skills of being a great people person, communicator, and go-getter by helping communities emergency response by installing emergency communication systems and procedures that linked critical nodes like EMS, police, fire, and hospitals so other may live.  All the while, continuing his hobbies of hiking, diving, and fishing.  Once a PJ always a PJ, Fred had just recently become a Life Member of the Pararescue Association. I last saw him at the burial of his friend SMSgt Retired Greg Lepley and was looking forward to catching up at the upcoming reunion.  We will all miss our friend and Teammate CMSgt Fredrick Jenkins.  Team, raise your Mickey’s Wide Mouth and say Cheers to Fredzo!!!

With our Deepest Sympathies for the Jenkins Family.

Very Respectfully,

CMSgt (R) Ryan Beckmann, Pararescue Association Treasurer