Military Spouse Appreciation Day is a time to take stock of the sacrifices husbands and wives make in support of their military partners. At Oracle, we recognize the special kind of determination this takes and do all we can to empower military spouses to be there for those who serve.
Business Development Manager
Amy Carrio, a business development manager with Oracle NetSuite and military spouse herself, shares her thoughts on what it means to support service members.
“To say it can be tough is an understatement,” she explains. “Last year, my husband was gone on an 11-month stateside deployment for specialized training. At the time, we had an almost four-year-old and a 10-month-old.”
Resilience
Amy’s situation is a familiar one for many military families. The demands of service can mean life changes fast, and the domino effect impacts everyone involved. It takes lots of resilience and a flair for planning to make it all work.
“My role quickly became more than just a mother and a business development manager; I became the household CEO, accountant, chef, event planner, housekeeper, and, most importantly, director of child development!” Amy shares.
There are challenges outside of the home too, and careers can often suffer if employers don’t understand the rigors of being a military spouse.
Empathy and support
“Oracle NetSuite has been very supportive of myself and my family being in the military. Last year, senior leadership was very supportive of me being able to work from where I needed to with the kids or visiting my husband at the base. I also really appreciated the intentional check-ins to see how I was doing managing everything and making sure I was taking ‘me time’.”
This kind of empathy in a work culture makes all the difference. With support, the “impossible” can be transformed into “challenging”—and overcoming challenges means more opportunities to grow.
The investment in the success of military spouses and veterans at Oracle has been recognized with a VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer rating—a huge honor for companies committed to the military-connected community.
“To be able manage schedules, support, coach, empathize, and listen to my teams and colleagues and my children while working to support the growth and development of our newest Nashville location was one of the toughest years of my life, but the most rewarding.”
Paying it forward
Amy’s career trajectory has greatly benefited from this, and she relishes the chance to pay it forward by helping the people on her team to succeed.
“Being in leadership and coaching my team means I’m making a positive influence in their professional and potentially personal life. I am honest and transparent about who I am, what my expectations are, and how I will lead and be their biggest support. I try to encourage open dialogue and vulnerability by showing them I am human too,” she says.
“I believe when we lead with wise compassion and have empathy during tough conversations, we can create a space of trust, creativity, and growth.”
Culture and diversity
NetSuite’s culture and people caught Amy’s attention early on, and she hasn’t been disappointed. One thing that became clear to her during the interview stage was the valuing of diverse perspectives—that all were welcome and could play a part.
“At Oracle, everyone felt valued and heard when they brought different ideas to the table,” she says.
“There is trust among peers, open dialogue of both positive and tough feedback, and there is collaboration to support creativity and growth among individuals and the team. We recognize big and small wins and continually adapt to our surroundings while still trying to have some fun learning along the way.”
Shared experiences
Amy is also part of the Military Affiliated Veteran Employee Network (MAVEN). This tight-knit employee resource group (ERG) supports veterans and military spouses through mentorship, inclusive recruitment practices, and community engagement. It’s also somewhere for people to open up and share.
“Last year, a group of us created a group for spouses with deployed partners. We shared experiences, stories, and advice for new spouses or significant others going through a deployment for the first time. I really enjoyed being able to listen and support others going through tough times and share advice and resources.”
Appreciation
Military Spouse Appreciation Day is more than a celebration for Amy. It’s also a chance to reflect and build lasting bonds with others who understand.
“Sometimes it’s hard to celebrate this day because my husband is the one who goes out on deployments away from everyone he loves,” she explains. “For this day, I try to use it as a reminder to appreciate and send love to my fellow military spouses I know who have made a positive impact on my life.”
Her advice to other military spouses balancing career, relationships, and family is simple.
“Find a supportive company like Oracle and a network of peers. Even just a quick search on LinkedIn for military recruiters and you can find recruiters that are looking for military and military spouses.”
Do you want to create the future of technology with a company that values the experiences of military spouses and veterans? Find out more at oracle.com/veterans