Fred Berley is a native of Jacksonville. He graduated from Bishop Kenny High School in 1974. He attended Tulane University and graduated from Florida State University in the spring of 1980. In November of that year, he joined the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as an Ensign in May of 1981. He made a career as a Surface Warfare Officer and spent 21 years in various assignments including Anti-submarine warfare Officer, Naval science Instructor, Operations officer, and Squadron Chief Staff officer. His last active-duty assignment was at the Executive Officer of Naval Station Mayport.