Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2007/A win-win-win for Nicole, the Naval Reserve and NSW Police
By Annie Casey
For members who are considering serving as a Reserve there are two major ingredients necessary for making a significant contribution to service - gaining the active support of both your employer and ADF supervisor.
PO Nicole Gallagher has demonstrated this, having notched up 81 days reserve service this year. Much of this stems from having a flexible and accommodating supervisor in the ADF, in addition to support from her full time primary employment as a constable for NSW Police.
Nicole's Defence supervisor CMDR Rod Robinson said: "By being flexible in work allocation and working around Nicoles' availability and time commitments, I have gained many days of quality service from a Navy-trained person. Had I been inflexible and reluctant to plan ahead, I would not have achieved such a successful outcome.
"I prioritised Nicole's tasks into what had to be done immediately and what could be completed at a later date."
As a government employee in the Police Force at the Miranda Local Area Command she's allowed five weeks a year for Reserve service and she's able to work weekends as well.
Nicole has been juggling an amazing array of tasks both professionally and on the domestic front as a single of mother of 7 and 11-year-old daughters.
In addition to her professional and personal commitments she has managed to work for the Navy Officer Development Program at Defence Plaza in Sydney on a regular basis - and has participated in Exercises Talisman Saber, Sea Eagle and Swift Eagle twice.
"There are no set time constraints working at NODP," Nicole said "my supervisor allows me to select the hours I can manage to attend and complete the work according to my work/family commitments. The work always gets done - the only difference is it gets managed at my own pace."
A former electronic warfare specialist and combat systems operator, she has also passed the board to become a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve in the near future.
If her life isn't busy enough she's also studying as an external student for her Bachelor of Policing at Charles Sturt University.
