Throughout 2022, we’ll be profiling various PEI families in our military community…
Amanda Carmody has made a career out of helping others. A Naval Combat Information Operator (NCIOP), S1 Carmody has been in the Naval Reserve for sixteen years, and currently serves as Regulating Petty Officer/Coxn’s Writer at HMCS QUEEN CHARLOTTE. In her civilian life, she is a Registered Nurse and works as a Disability Adjudicator with Veterans Affairs Canada.
Please tell us about your family.
Husband: Greg Heckbert
Children: Wesley (age 5) and Ryan (age 2.5)
What does being a Reservist mean to you and your family?
For me and my family, being a Reservist means that I am able to serve my country by supporting the Regular component of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), as well as being able to continue my civilian career path and passion for nursing. I love that I am able to be close to my family while engaging in training and educational opportunities with the Naval Reserve.
How many days/month do you work as a Reservist?
I work between 8-10 days per month as a Reservist (Part-time) and Full-time as a Registered Nurse.
Tell us about a few challenges about being a military family that you are experiencing or have experienced in the past.
The most challenging thing for our family is juggling all the commitments as a Reservist/Mom/Wife/Registered Nurse. For the first decade of my nursing career, I was working long shifts and I was having difficulty balancing both careers. I wanted to ensure that I was contributing to my Reserve Unit without taking away from my civilian career and family/home life. I remember taking vacation from my civilian job to complete training requirements, and it was a huge challenge for me and my family to overcome. I wanted to ensure that I was fulfilling all obligations without altering my priorities but also ensuring a healthy balance.
Another challenge has been being away from the home for training opportunities. These opportunities have been minimal during the global pandemic; however, in the past, ensuring that your family is supported while you are away can be stressful and take away from the overall experience of the deployment. My Reserve Unit and the local MFRC have helped overcome this stress and ensure support is provided where it is needed.
With all that you juggle, dare we ask about hobbies? How do you decompress from the challenges of balancing military duties with a full-time nursing career?
I am a social person and love to meet new people or hear what is new with an old friend while sipping a coffee or craft beer. My hobbies include my love for plants and gardening (indoor and outdoor), mountain biking, and cooking!
We’d love to hear about some of the joys you experience being a military family…
Some of the joys of being a military family are simply gathering with fellow Veterans and their families and talking about their experiences, having our children meet and play together, and overall getting to develop the camaraderie with the families that you already have with the members of your unit. Getting to know the spouses, parents, [and] children of other military families helps you feel supported and less alone.
I enjoy seeing and learning about the extracurricular talents of the other military members and their families. I remember one year that all the members of our unit who had musical abilities (even playing the triangle/cowbell) came together and developed a “unit band.” I was astounded at how much musical talent was hidden in the ranks and within the families. It was such a fun time and I don’t think we sounded that bad !
In your own words, what does it mean to be a military/Veteran family on PEI?
We are proud to be a PEI military family. In PEI, it is important to stay connected to each other— we are a small province, and our military capacity is less than other provinces. We also have unique challenges with being a smaller military community. Even though we are a small province with a smaller military community, we have a big role to play in the success of the CAF. Being a military family on PEI means that we feel supported and support each other, no matter what obstacles we encounter.
Thank you, Amanda, for chatting with us. We loved learning more about you, your family, and your life as a Naval Officer and an RN. Thank you and your family for your service!