S1 Jennifer Ringor: A demanding yet rewarding job
Navy News / March 19, 2021
Sailor 1st Class (S1) Jennifer Ringor joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) four years ago and is currently working at the Maritime Ops Support & Intelligence Centre, Trinity, Halifax.
“I joined the RCN because I wanted to do something to make my country and my family proud. I wanted to contribute and also to make a difference any way I could, to protect the country my family and loved ones call home,” she says.
Her work in the RCN led to a wealth of opportunities that would never have occurred in any other occupation.
“My work is important to me because it gave me the opportunity to acquire a wide range of skills that I would never have learned as an ordinary civilian. I’m also proud to be able to help the commanders and officers in their decision-making process.”
There are numerous challenges, but they make this job what it is: an extraordinary career.
“The greatest challenge I’ve faced to date is being far away from my family during a deployment on Operation REASSURANCE 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the current pandemic, it’s mentally and physically difficult not only for me, but also for my family—especially my mother, since she’s a health care worker. Being far away from my family to protect the country’s interests, remaining vigilant with the ship’s crew, on top of the ongoing pandemic—it’s an enormous task for me and my loved ones.”
“I deal with this challenge one day at a time, always thinking of my country and my family. I always try to stay in contact with them to let them know that I’m safe, as much as I can, so I can give them the peace of mind they need to be able to concentrate on their work.”
Despite having its share of challenges, being part of the RCN brings memorable experiences for its members.
“The most memorable experience I’ve had is the volunteer work I did with members of the crew of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Calgary during Operation PROJECTION in 2018. During the deployment, we volunteered to visit an orphanage in Da Nang, Vietnam. The children there were from families of victims of Agent Orange, a highly toxic chemical used during the Vietnam War.”
“Another memorable experience during that same operation was participating in the International Fleet Review in Jeju, South Korea,” she said. “I visited the other ships that participated, including the Philippine Navy representative at the review. Since I was the only person of Filipino ethnicity on board HMCS Calgary, they were happy to see the diversity of the RCN. I received a tour of their ship, a hat and a commander’s coin during my interaction with them.”
For S1 Ringor, serving in the RCN is much bigger than oneself.
“We try to put our country before ourselves in everything we do. To be able to lead and make sure we’re always ready. It’s a demanding yet rewarding job. This career opens up so many possibilities to a person during and even after their service.”