The Army Bloke

One moment you’re pushing a team over a high pass in Nepal, the next you’re struggling to breathe and waiting on a helicopter because your lungs are filling with fluid. That’s where Major Tori Allison takes us, and it’s only one part of a bigger story about British Army leadership, resilience, and the quiet competence that keeps people safe. We start at the beginning: choosing the Army at 14 with no military connections, failing Regular Commissions Board at 17, then rebuilding through univer...

The fastest way to spot shaky leadership is to watch what happens when people are cold, tired, and under pressure. That’s where the real habits show up, for better or worse. We sit down with Ollie, a former British Army major with 20 years’ service, to unpack what actually builds strong junior leaders from Sandhurst onwards. He shares blunt lessons from RoCo, why “negative motivation” collapses fast, and how fitness isn’t just about passing tests, it’s about buying yourself time to think. We...

We talk with David Hymarsh about what the Army Professionally Qualified Officer route really looks like for doctors, from AOSB and Sandhurst to phase two training and life in unit. We pull out the leadership lessons that matter most: humility, speaking to your audience, leaning on experienced NCOs and taking mental health seriously. • How AOSB feels for medical students • What the short Sandhurst PQO course covers and why it exists • What phase two Medical Officer training adds b...

The first step onto the parade square feels like stepping into a myth. Then the kit list hits, the pace spikes, and you realise leadership is a team sport. Dan sits down with Robin White—infantry officer, veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and former Sandhurst company commander—to pull back the curtain on what actually makes a good officer when the plan breaks, the radios crackle, and you’re on the clock. Robin traces his path from family legacy to scholarship board, through a battalion harden...

Former Army Commando Officer & Minister for Veterans Affairs Johnny Mercer joins me for an honest, unfiltered conversation about war, leadership, and what really shapes you as a young officer. From passing the Commando Course to surviving Taliban contact after being split from his patrol, this episode goes deep into the reality of soldiering. We discuss: Why Johnny joined the British ArmyCompleting the Commando CourseDeploying on three operational tours of AfghanistanFacing the Taliban i...

🎙 Lessons in Leadership – Episode 1 In this first episode, I sit down with Harry Mackarness, a former British Army Officer who commissioned into the Paras, had to transfer to the Light Dragoons, and has since become a voice for resilience and mental health. We talk about: • Why he joined the Army • The reality of training at Sandhurst and Catterick • What it means to lead soldiers today • How injury and mental health challenges shaped his career • Why the Army still matters for young people...