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On this week’s podcast we speak with former Wing Commander Sharon Bown (Ret'd) completed her Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Tasmania in 1995. In 1999 wanting more of a challenge Sharon joined the Air Force RAAF. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Sharon served as a Nursing Officer in the We’re all really bad at saying: ‘I’m living the dream, things are great’. And, whenever you do get asked that question, give your mental health a number. Are you a six, a five or maybe a seven today? There are two reasons for that. Firstly, it helps you gauge where you are, so you’ll notice changes or not. If you’ve been at number three for a few weeks that’s not good. But if you can get everyone to use that system, it’s also a good measure for other people and help them notice how you’re doing.” Forces TV Interview https://www.forces.net/mental-health/how-one-female-chinook-crewman-turned-her-life-around-after-nearly-ending-it-all Unable to go to the Olympic Games in her chosen sport of surf lifesaving, Alyssa ‘Aly’ Bull started kayaking to fulfil an Olympic dream. Bull was inspired to try kayaking when she watched her surf lifesaving idol Naomi Flood compete at London 2012.
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On this week’s podcast we speak with Former Special Forces Operator Warrant Officer Ant Plater served in the Australian Defence Force for 27 years, 17 of which were with formally 4RAR Commando now the 2nd Commando Regiment. Born in New Zealand, Sonya relocated to Australia with her parents and three siblings in 1987. Sonya grew up in Logan and relocated to the Gold Coast in 2001. After completing a double degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies and a Bachelor of Laws Sonya practiced law for a short time and found her true passion in policing in 2003. She has been a Queensland Police Officer ever since, working at Southport, Runaway Bay, and eventually finding her passion, and fulfilling a lifelong dream becoming a detective with the Child Protection and Investigation Unit. Sonya was widowed at 32 years old and has had to adjust to life on her own, as a single mother since. Losing her husband Police Officer Damian Leeding who was killed in 2011 trying to stop an armed hold up at the Pacific Pines Tavern has taught Sonya many valuable lessons, but most importantly has allowed her resilience to shine through, which is also evident in her work in the Child Protection Unit. Sonya’s debut book, ‘Blue Widow’ is the journey of how she navigated life as a police officer after love and loss. It is a journey of resilience and the discovery that trusting in yourself can be the very thing that saves you. This story will introduce you to the humans behind the badge. When Sonya is not protecting vulnerable victim’s, you will find her in mum mode with her two children Hudson and Grace. Sonya has a passion for baking, it soothes her soul. Sonya’s downtime is spent at her local F45 gym or out walking with Labradoodles Elliot and Amalie. Sonya is also a keen camper and with the assistance of her 1968 Viscount vintage caravan, ‘Felicia’ manages to find peace and quiet at new locations around Southeast Queensland. Bull started ski paddling at the age of 16 for surf lifesaving and was the Under 17 Australian Ironwoman Champion in 2012.
Liz McConaghy
On her final MERT operation, a US medic handed McConaghy a clear plastic bag with the severed foot of an American serviceman killed in action. It tells me a lot about how my own mental state was by this time of the campaign as even this didn’t make me bat an eyelid or flinch,” she recalls. Sharon is the award-winning author of One Woman's War and Peace: a nurse's journey in the Royal Australian Air Force and this humble Registered Nurse from Tasmania now serves as a Member of the Council of the Australian War Memorial and as an Ambassador for Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
CHINOOK CHICK - Apple Podcasts The Andy Rowe Show: CHINOOK CHICK - Apple Podcasts
The good thing about the Chinook”Liz explained , “compared to something like the Puma and even the Merlin is that it’s got a lot of redundant space. So you can take a lot around you, a lot of battle damage and as long as the engines are still running and you are still going, then you’re okay. You do a six-month school called the UCF, which is where you work up to learn how to operate and then you get sent to your first squad, which for me was 27 and then you have to do what’s called a combat ready work up. So that is essentially learning how to operate the Chinook when you’re getting combat ready. You learn what rules you can bend when you’re at war; if you’re getting shot at, what you can and can’t get away with. I knew we were about to crash so I braced myself hard against the door frame and placed my hand on the release straps of my harness,” she said.AeroTime caught up with Liz earlier this week and also appointed her as the latest AeroTime Aviation Champion in recognition of her work and dedication to the industry. Congratulations to Liz! With her hands tied together, McConaghy felt it “roll down my chest and all the way to my belly button. Still makes me cringe now thinking about it. But at least it distracted me from the screaming”. On this week's episode we speak with current serving Queensland Police Officer (QPS) Detective Senior Constable / Author Sonya Leeding,
Chinook crew ‘chick’ Liz McConaghy on PTSD and military life Chinook crew ‘chick’ Liz McConaghy on PTSD and military life
Liz was only 21 when she became the youngest Chinook crewmember to serve in Iraq, and then became the longest serving female member. Liz is a brilliant natural storyteller. With many laugh out loud moments but she equally pulls no punches about the dark side of war and it’s effects"By way of a parting message for readers, McConaghy appeals to anyone going through similar issues she has experienced to seek help. After calmly writing a suicide note to her family and friends, she began to swallow 95 pills, one by one, before closing her eyes for one last time, “my brain finally at peace”. These weapons of mass destruction gave us the ability to protect the Chinook from all directions, sometimes without needing to fire a bullet, the sight of them being enough of a deterrent to the enemy,” recalls McConaghy. Yes, I have,” she said. “Having had the book come out [all her mental health challenges are] now completely out in the world. And the more I’m talking about it, the more it is genuinely OK now.
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