Up Close: Conversations with Modern Veterans

Reflecting on what it meant to serve, each of the veterans speak honestly with Adam about their time in uniform and how it impacts where they are today.  Fred and Lorraine explain why they regret nothing from their time in service, and Fred shares how he continues to help others.  Lorraine finds her calling through volunteering, and David explains why being a veteran doesn’t mean that you are ‘broken’.  Having reconciled her relationship with the military and been an advocate for change, Kim discusses the resting place of her second husband and proves that bonds formed in service are for many as strong today as they ever were.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having now felt the physical and psychological impacts of a life in uniform, Adam discusses the support that the veterans received both during their deployments and when they came home.  Fred shifts into a more people-focused role, and he and Lorraine both talk about the importance of having a partner who understands military life. Believing support to be about more than just the people, David shares how ‘Flojo, the Bomb Dog’ was a huge part of his deployment.  Kim meanwhile, struggles to find the support that she felt she should have received following the death of her husband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam investigates the training stage of the veteran’s careers.  Having initially enlisted to avoid school, Fred ironically finds himself back in the classroom as he reflects on a standard day of training.  After transitioning from a family of 11 to a ‘family of thousands’ Lorraine shares the challenges that she faced as a female recruit during an important time of transition for army.  David explains his decision to make the move from Navy to Army, and Kim details her choice to join the reserves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Shand navigates raw conversations with recent Australian Defence Force members about their lives in service.  From enlisting, to the challenges that come with training, conflict, and life after the uniform, these are real stories of the highs and lows of military life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.