Service runs in the family
When someone joins the Australian Defence Force, they set out on a journey which can take them across the country and around the world, and more often than not, their family comes along for the ride.
Service runs in Tenesha Johnson's family. Both of her parents served in the Australian Army and she experienced first-hand the sacrifices ADF personnel and their families make every day in the service of our nation.
Before Tenesha started high school, her family had lived in Wagga Wagga, Brisbane and Darwin.
‘You’re always packing up and moving and have to restart everything again,’ she said.
‘You get comfortable, you settle down, find a good friend group and then you have to pack up everything and say goodbye every two or three years, that’s tough.’
Moving around the country and changing schools frequently can be challenging for children of ADF personnel, and in Tenesha’s experience, it had an effect on her education.
‘I started having difficulties in certain areas of learning and I just felt behind throughout my schooling years. That started a lot of stresses and anxieties that carried on with me,’ she said.
Tenesha’s faced a lot of challenges for someone so young, but she hasn’t let it stop her from smashing her goals.
Inspired by her parents’ commitment to help others, Tenesha recently joined the Queensland Ambulance Service after graduating with a Bachelor of Paramedicine from Australian Catholic University.
‘When I got my job offer I was absolutely stoked,’ she said.
‘Knowing that I can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life or that I can help provide a sense of protection and comfort in emergency situations is very rewarding.’
University can be tough, but Tenesha wants all children of veterans to know that it’s not a journey you have to undertake alone.
Eligible children of veterans can access DVA supported Education Schemes which provide financial assistance, student support services and arrange for guidance and counselling to help them achieve their full potential in full-time education or career training.
Tenesha accessed the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) while at university and encourages any eligible child of a veteran thinking of studying to do the same.
‘Being supported just took all the stress off me. I was able to purely focus on my assignments, my placements and on my patients,’ she said.
‘If you want to pursue something but you’re having troubles, you’ve got this behind you.
‘If I can do it, you can do it too.’
For more information about our Education Schemes, including eligibility, visit our website.
