True Blue Conversations Podcast

Adam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd.

Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves.

Sandy joined the Women's Royal

Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25

WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing

Service.

Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and

specialised as an Administration Officer and became the senior Administration Officer in the

RAN. Sandy was the first female Executive Officer (Second in Command) of the Navy's submarine base HMAS PLATYPUS from 1988 to 1990 from where she was promoted to the rank of Commander.

Sandy was also the first female member of the Directing Staff of the RAN Staff College at

HMAS PENGUIN (the Navy's management and leadership training college).

The highlight of her career was when she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) in the

Australia Day Honours List 2000 for 'outstanding achievement as the Senior Naval Officer

South Australia'. The citation for her award referred to her as an 'inspirational officer who has

provided outstanding support and advocacy to the Naval community, particularly to

submariners. She is an outstanding role model.' Sandy's story is one of being a trailblazer for women and breaking the glass ceiling.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Sandy Coulson

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

Adam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd.

Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves.

Sandy joined the Women's Royal

Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25

WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing

Service.

Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and

specialised as an Administration Officer and became the senior Administration Officer in the

RAN. Sandy was the first female Executive Officer (Second in Command) of the Navy's submarine base HMAS PLATYPUS from 1988 to 1990 from where she was promoted to the rank of Commander.

Sandy was also the first female member of the Directing Staff of the RAN Staff College at

HMAS PENGUIN (the Navy's management and leadership training college).

The highlight of her career was when she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) in the

Australia Day Honours List 2000 for 'outstanding achievement as the Senior Naval Officer

South Australia'. The citation for her award referred to her as an 'inspirational officer who has

provided outstanding support and advocacy to the Naval community, particularly to

submariners. She is an outstanding role model.' Sandy's story is one of being a trailblazer for women and breaking the glass ceiling.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Sandy Coulson

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

Rebecca Doyle is the Director of the Sir John Monash Centre, in Villers-Bretonneux, France. Rebecca is also the senior in-country representative for the Department of Veterans' Affairs, as Counsellor accredited to the Australian Embassy in Paris.

Prior to her appointment as Director of the Sir John Monash Centre, Rebecca was the Director of the Overseas Memorials Section in the Office of Australian War Graves, overseeing 40 official Australian memorials in 16 Nations, Adam sat down With Rebecca live in France to understand Why Australians come to France and Belgium to go on a pilgrimage and honour the 46000 ANZACS that fell on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Rebecca Doyle

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

In this week's Episode Adam is having a conversation with AWM Historian Michael Kelly about Australia's involvement in a largely overlooked conflict - the 'Malayan Emergency'.

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The 'Emergency' began in mid-1948, but Australia's involvement didn't begin until 1950, the year the Korean War started. Australia's initial commitment was from the RAAF with supply drops and other aerial operations. This extended to bombing runs against the Communist forces in 1954. By 1955, Aussie troops were committed and undertook extensive patrolling and other operations against the guerrillas. The RAN also patrolled Malayan waters during the latter part of the decade.

Although the Emergency was declared over by the end of July 1960, Australian forces remained in Malaya undertaking anti-communist operations until August 1963.

By the end of the Malayan Emergency, Australia had lost 39 serviceman killed (15 on operations), with a further 27 wounded.

Presenter: Adam Bl

Guest: Michael Kelly

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

In this week's conversation Adam is joined by former Australian Muay Thai kick-boxing champion and Aussie soldier, Paul 'Warlord' Waaaaaarrrrrrennnnn!

Paul is no stranger to the physically punishing world of martial arts at its highest level and the demands of being a soldier. But nothing could prepare him for the violence and brutality of the fight he found himself in barely a month after arriving in Afghanistan in July 2009. A fight that saw the death of his mate; Private Ben Ranaudo.

Thanks to the quick-thinking of his battalion-mates and the wonders of modern battlefield medical evacuations, Paul Warren's life was saved with a quick trip in a helicopter that saw him in surgery within 16 minutes.

During the conversation with Adam, Paul shares about the many dark times grappling with the shattering effects of PTSD, and the hammer-like blows of guilt and grief over the death of his mate, Benny.

At his lowest, Paul thought about 'tapping out', like many other soldiers in similar circumstances and describes his road to recovery as a desperately painful process. However, sustained by the love for his kids, and through self-discipline, sheer mental will, and physical toughness often displayed in the ring, Paul is winning the fight.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Paul Warren

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

In this week's episode Adam is having a conversation with Air Vice-Marshal (Retired) John Quaife. John spent 28 years living every young kids dream as a fighter pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force.

He is a graduate of the RAAF's 'top gun' training course and his service career included command of one of Australia's finest fighter squadrons. Of particular interest is that John is one of a small number of pilots who has successfully ejected from their stricken aircraft. That is a story worth listening in for.

By 2002 John was one of Australia's most experienced fighter pilots and commanded all strike and fighter squadrons in Australia. On promotion to Air Vice-Marshal, John was appointed Air Commander Australia - the RAAF's most senior operational commander.

In 2005 he was attached to United States Central Command as director of all coalition air operations in the Middle East theatre.

"I feel the need, the need for speed!"

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: John Quaife

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

In the first podcast of Season 4 Adam is joined by the man with the moustache and a love for reading, 6 RAR infantry Captain, Dylan Conway.

Dylan is the founder of BrothersNBooks, a charity that is seeking to make reading cool again.

BrothersNBooks was founded in 2020 after the pandemic crisis which saw millions of people around the world suffering from isolation and lockdowns, poor mental health and a sense of helplessness.

Through his own mental and physical struggles during his recovery from 9 lower back surgeries (including the amputation of his lower back), Dylan found purpose through reading books.

From that moment he made it his mission to start this amazing charity to help others who are suffering with mental health issues.

Dylan's example of triumph over adversity is a true inspiration to all who are suffering psychological issues. It was through his own determination and the power of reading that he has overcome many of his mental and physical setbacks.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Dylan Conway

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

In season 3 finale Adam interviews Troy Knight, Troy is a former Royal Australian Airforce Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Author, and PSD Operator.

The Combat Controllers are known as the Special Forces unit of the Air Force, with Troy deploying alongside members of the Special Operations Task Group in combat in the Middle East. Throughout his Military career Troy deployed on multiple operations to Iraq, Sumatra and Afghanistan tasked with combat air control calling in ordinates in a combat area. Troy also spent time working in the private security sector in Iraq and throughout Asia. Troy is now retired and spends his time and resources giving back to the veteran community. Troy's book "Havoc 06" tells his journey to Special forces, and sheds light on the struggles he and many veterans face once they leave the combat zone, and transition from Defence to civilian life.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Troy Knight

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

Chris May joined the Australian Army at 16.9months, Chris was a war veteran at nineteen deploying to Afghanistan in 2009, Chris deployed again in 2011 and on September 23rd 2011, Chris's life changed forever when he survived driving over an improvised explosive device. Chris has gone on to do so much for veterans and veterans mental health he formed Young Veterans with his brother and was the winner of the John Church award in 2017, and now Chris works full time for Fire Rescue Victoria.

Chris's story is one of true Grit and determination and never giving up, he is a true leader and has a positive outlook on life.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Chris May

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway

What would you do if you were stranded in the coldest place on earth as the world you knew back home changed forever…

Adam speaks with Author David Knoff,

As station leader at the Davis Research Station in Antarctica, David was leading 24 expeditions on a standard mission when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, international travel came to a standstill and their ride home was cancelled – Indefinitely, What was supposed to be a routine season became a high pressure cauldron of uncertainty and anxiety where everyone was pushed to their mental limits.

Facing unprecedented challenges, including a complex medical evacuation and a fire on the ship meant to get them out, David would need all his experience as an infantry platoon commander and diplomat to keep the team safe and get them home, albeit to a world that was changed forever.

537 Days of Winter is a high-octane, sub -zero story unlike any other in modern Antarctic history.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Mark Wales

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Investigative Consultant: David Knoff