Leading Special Forces Selection, Media Battles, and the Fight for Veteran Suicide Reform | Ep. 285 | Pt. 3

Leading Special Forces Selection, Media Battles, and the Fight for Veteran Suicide Reform | Ep. 285 | Pt. 3

From Mike Drop by Mike Ritland

April 3, 2026 · 1h 12m

About this episode

Heston Russell discusses his journey as a combat veteran, including his experiences with sexuality and veteran support systems in Australia and the U.S.

Former Australian 2nd Commando Regiment officer and combat veteran Heston Russell opens up about his personal journey, including coming to terms with his sexuality while serving, family reactions, and the cultural differences in veteran support between Australia and the United States. He details his exchange posting with the 75th Ranger Regiment, a later deployment to Iraq in a joint special operations planning role, insights into high-level interagency operations, and the challenges of transitioning out of the military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Guest: Heston Russell

Topics covered

  • veteran support
  • military transition
  • personal journey
  • sexuality
  • interagency operations

Keywords

  • 2nd Commando Regiment
  • 75th Ranger Regiment
  • Iraq deployment
  • veteran suicide reform

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Australia, the United States, Iraq

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