Tricia Reynolds

Military background and education

Prior to enlisting in the Air Force, I studied a Diploma of Applied Science, hoping to manage a cattle station in remote QLD or NT.

I enlisted into the Air Force in 1999 as a Supplier and changed careers to Military Working Dog Handler in 2003.

In a security forces roles, I was deployed to East Timor (second ever female to deploy on operations with their Military Working Dog) and to the MEAO (Middle East Area of Operations) twice, and Afghanistan.

In 2012 I was the first female to be promoted to SGT in the history of the Military Working Dog mustering and to run a Dog Section.

I worked in Defence Force Recruiting from 2013-2016 and began my undergraduate degree in 2013, Bachelor of Leadership, with a view to commission in the future. 

In 2017, I began my Master of Strategy and Security whilst deployed. I continued to study whilst living in the US and working remotely for the Air Force. I completed my degree in the second half of 2018. In 2020, I medically separated from the Air Force after ongoing complications from a total hip replacement.

Educational journey

I have completed numerous Certificates and Diplomas ranging from science, animal studies, training and assessing, and investigations. I decided to complete an undergraduate degree as I had thought that eventually down the track, I would like to commission in the Air Force. I decided on a Bachelor of Leadership through UNE, as this was one of the fastest ways to get a degree with the RPL I could be given as a Senior Non Commissioned Officer.

I didn't excel at school and sat at a C average, so wasn't sure how I'd go doing University, but managed to cruise through the degree. A couple of years later, and after working in Defence Force Recruiting and recruiting a lot of candidates for ADFA, I decided to check out the post grad degrees offered at UNSW and stumbled upon the Master of Strategy and Security, which could be fully funded by Defence. The subjects really spoke to me, one of the main ones being Genocide, but there were so many that looked interesting and would educate me on the current world political climate.

I was deployed when my studies started and it took me a while to find my feet, but after completing my first subject, things got a lot better. We then moved to the US for my husband's work and I managed to continue the degree whilst living abroad. My degree was completed whilst living in 3 different countries!