From a long stint in the navy to the COVID-19 frontline, the new Bendigo resident has dedicated his life to his country in more ways than one.

Mr Cherry decided to join the Australian Navy after he went to an information session at his school in Burnie, Tasmania.

"It sounds like a joke, but I was in year 11 and had mid-term maths exam I hadn't studied for," he said.

"The Defence Force recruiting was going on at the same time so I went for it."

Mr Cherry, 17-year-old at the time, joined the navy as a medic and spent 12 and a half years travelling around the country and the world.

"I was deployed to Afghanistan and did numerous border protection operations over the years," he said.

"I was part of Operation Resolute, which is obviously the asylum seekers and refugee operation across multiple platforms.

"I then finished off my career as a clinical manager and officer medic on the hydrographic survey vessels up in Cairns."

He was medically discharged after undergoing two bilateral knee replacements and PTSD and returned to civilian life.

From there, Mr Cherry began a fly in, fly out roster in Western Australia until COVID-19 made that career choice difficult.

"I was able to obtain my AHPRA registration through the grandparent pathway and became a paramedic," he said.

"I honestly got a bit sick of travelling for work and obviously COVID also put a stop to it all so I had to give it up."

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But he wouldn't be without a job for long once Torrens Health offered a helping hand.

"They sent me an email and said they were looking for paramedics who were willing to vaccinate," Mr Cherry said.

"One of the roles I had when I was posted to the HMAS Cerberus in navy training facility near Crib Point was actually part of their vaccination team.

"All new recruits go through a complete immunisation process, and we would be vaccination anywhere between 100 and 150 people at a time."

Now living in Bendigo, Mr Cherry has signed on with Bendigo Health full time and works at their Mollison/McLaren Street clinic - a perfect place for his expertise.

"We have had a few minor reactions to the vaccines here in Bendigo, and having me there who has a background in emergency medicine has really helped," he said.

"I've been able to contribute to Australia's effort in managing COVID and getting the country back to a new normal was a great way to continue my service to the country."