RE-RELEASED EPISODE

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I speak with Susan, who has just hit the one-year mark of being a Defence spouse.

Susan and I speak about;

-The huge changes she and her Husband went through during the first 12 months of living Defence Life.

-What Susan expected Military life would be like versus the reality.

-How she adjusted to going from seeing her Husband everyday to months of separation.

-The decision to give birth to their second child without her Husband by her side.

-The impact having a second baby alone and solo parenting had on her mental health.

-How she rose to the challenge and tackled everything that was thrown at her during the first 12 months.

Ready to join the ML Community? Click through the link to get connected www.militarylife.com.au

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I speak with Open Arms Community and Peer workers Jess and Sarah after the program recently celebrated its 5-year anniversary.

Jess, Sarah and I speak about;

-The Community and Peer program and how it aligns with the mental health supports Open Arms provides.

-Why the Community and Peer program was established and how important it is that Peer workers have lived experience.

-What draws Veterans and Defence Partners to become Community and Peer workers?

-Why Community and Peer Workers are an important part of the Open Arms ‘Stepping Out’ program

-How the support offered by the Community and Peer Workers differs from the other options available via Open Arms.

-Understanding when to connect with a Community and Peer worker VS seeing a psychologist or a counsellor through Open Arms.

-Why the Community and Peer program can be the first step to accessing other mental health supports and services.

-How to find out more information about the program and connect with a Community and Peer Worker.

Click here to visit the Open Arms website, learn more about the Community and Peer Program here, or call 1800 011 046 to speak with someone from Open Arms and connect with mental health support and services.

Ready to join the ML community? Click through the link to get connected www.militarylife.com.au

RE-RELEASED EPISODE

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I speak with Army spouse Mel about a service dog called Maxx and how he saved her husband Damien.

Mel and I also speak about;

-What it’s like when your Husband deploys every two years

-Her Husband’s decision to be proactive in seeking mental health support

-Why a service dog was the right fit for her Husband and their family

-Defence Community Dog program and the support the Defence Bank Foundation give the program

-The impact Maxx has had on her Husband’s everyday life and their family life

-The type of support Maxx provides and why Mel being the third wheel is a good thing

Maxx was matched with Damien through the Defence Community Dog Program, a program that is funded by the Defence Bank Foundation thanks to Defence Bank.

The DCD program provides highly trained service dogs to serving and ex-serving ADF members who need physical and emotional support for mood, depressive and anxiety disorders including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Every dog in the program is rescued from a pound/shelter/training facility and trained at the Bathurst Correctional Centre with the assistance of professional dog trainers and inmates.

The admin costs to run the Defence Bank Foundation are met by Defence Bank to make sure that all donated funds are provided to the Defence Community Dogs program.

Visit https://www.defencebankfoundation.com.au/ to make a donation or to find out more info.

And, if you think your Veteran (current or former serving) or a Veteran you know would benefit from connecting with a program like DCD and being matched with an Assistance Dog at no cost, the program is currently seeking expressions of interest from Veterans.

For more information, visit www.dcdogs.com.au/apply

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I had the privilege of having an authentic, informative, and real defence family-focused conversation with the Chief of Army Australia, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.

I have now met and spoken with Lieutenant General Stuart several times, in various settings, focused on discussing a range of defence family topics.

There have been ten-minute conversations at defence events and hour-long conversations in Lieutenant General Stuart's pretty impressive office in Canberra for this podcast episode (even though the recording was supposed to be a 30-minute chat).

What can I say? The conversation was flowing.

And you know what my conversations with Lieutenant General Stuart all had in common? It was a feeling that he had all the time in the world to speak with me and hear from all of you and that discussing defence families was as important to him as what it is to all of us.

Each conversation with Lieutenant General Stuart has been genuine and insightful with someone who, in his own words, isn’t interested in “legacy” but is committed to real and actual practical changes for Army families so that they can continue to thrive and choose to serve.

In episode 181 we discuss;

-Why focusing on purpose and people takes priority

-Achieving as part of a team, and the team that should matter most is your family

-Recognising that a defence members service is a collective effort and the vital role families play

-Creating more opportunities for Army families to have agency over their lives through a variety of initiatives

-Acknowledging that housing and where defence families live impacts so many other areas of our lives

-The importance of staying in touch and engaged with the everyday experiences of Army families

-How data-informed changes to policies that are flexible create more choice and better support for families

-Being able to change policy quickly enough to have a real and tangible impact on the current challenges Army families are facing

-Understanding the changing set of considerations, circumstances and priorities defence families have at different points of service life

-The introduction of an Army Families Handbook and why it will be an evolving resource

-What are capability bricks and why designing a health and well-being brick will help connect families

-Why Lieutenant General Stuart's focus is not on leaving a legacy but rather on building an inheritance for defence members and families

Ready to join the Military Life Community? Click through the link to get connected xx

www.militarylife.com.au

This week on the Military Life podcast, Veteran Spouse Jo returns for PART TWO of her episode.

In episode 179/PART ONE, Jo detailed her 15-year Defence Partner journey over 9 postings across New Zealand and Australia, her husband’s transition, and her decision to take her career in a new direction.

In PART TWO, Jo and I speak about;

-Why she decided to pursue Career Coaching and focus on helping Defence Partners

-What a Career Coach does and why it is so much more than helping people with their resumes

-The joy and satisfaction Jo gets from helping Defence Partners take their careers to the next level

-The importance of finding meaningful employment you WANT to be in

-Helping Defence Partners find their confidence & empowering them on their career journey

-We discuss the value and unique skills Defence Partners bring to a workplace

-Explaining PEAP (Partner Employment Assistance Program) how, when, and why to access it

-How to find a PEAP provider and what they should be bringing to the table

-The importance of working with a qualified CDAA career practitioner

-Why Jo offers FREE masterclasses for Defence Partners on various career topics                                                                                                       

To find out more about Jo, PEAP, and her work as a Career Practitioner, follow along via her socials

Instagram:  @jomacdonaldcareers or Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jomacdonaldcareers

Or check out her website https://www.jomacdonaldcareers.com/defencepartners

Jo has an Upcoming Masterclass- Love What You Do Masterclass for Defence Partners on Tuesday 29 October 2024 at 7pm (QLD time) find out details over on her socials or website.

To read more about PEAP or to access the application form, check out the Defence Member Family Support (DMFS) website via this link https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/family-programs-services/support-for-families/partner-employment-assistance-program

On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, Veteran Spouse Jo details her 15 year Defence Partner journey over 9 postings across New Zealand and Australia.

In PART ONE, Jo and I speak about;

-Embracing support, finding community, and making lifelong friends

-Discussing her spouse experience vs that of the 2024 Defence Partner

-How she ensured her relationship with her Defence Member stayed strong

-Communication, understanding & the mental load a Defence Partner carries

-Resilience vs Limits and the point of impact on the Spouse and Defence Kids

-Choosing transition, figuring out where to settle, and which career path to follow

-Finding her passion, becoming a Career Practitioner, and helping Defence Partners

*Stay tuned next week for episode 180 and Part Two of my chat with Jo.

We speak about her decision to become a Career Practitioner, her focus on helping Defence Partners find their confidence to go after what they want to be doing when it comes to their career, finding meaningful employment and PEAP (the Partner employment assistance program).

To find out more about Jo and her work as a Career Practitioner follow along via her socials

Instagram:  @jomacdonaldcareers or Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jomacdonaldcareers

Or check out her website https://www.jomacdonaldcareers.com/defencepartners

Jo has an Upcoming Masterclass- Love What You Do Masterclass for Defence Partners on Tuesday 29 October 2024 at 7pm (QLD time) find out details over on her socials or website.

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I have put together a compilation episode with real talk and words of wisdom offered by some of the Defence Partners who have been gracious enough to tell their story on the podcast over the last 5 years!

FIVE YEARS…. Can you even believe it? What a huge milestone for all of us to celebrate. Five years of the podcast, 175 episodes and 100,000 downloads.

I want to say thank you to all of you for sharing your stories, listening, supporting, connecting, building this community with me, empowering yourselves and each other by accessing and sharing information and resources, coming together as a united force and for getting it.

You just GET IT, and I thank you for that.

It is that shared understanding that this community of defence partners has that has created a space of CONNECTION and BELONGING for all Defence Partners Navy, Army and Air Force.

So, get comfy and enjoy listening to some of the best advice, words of wisdom, tips and tricks, insider info, and real talk from a number of Defence Partners who have previously shared their spouse journey with us on the Podcast.

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I have put together a compilation episode with real talk and words of wisdom offered by some of the Defence Partners who have been gracious enough to tell their story on the podcast over the last 5 years!

FIVE YEARS…. Can you even believe it? What a huge milestone for all of us to celebrate. Five years of the podcast, 175 episodes and 100,000 downloads.

I want to say thank you to all of you for sharing your stories, listening, supporting, connecting, building this community with me, empowering yourselves and each other by accessing and sharing information and resources, coming together as a united force and for getting it.

You just GET IT, and I thank you for that.

It is that shared understanding that this community of defence partners has that has created a space of CONNECTION and BELONGING for all Defence Partners Navy, Army and Air Force.

So, get comfy and enjoy listening to some of the best advice, words of wisdom, tips and tricks, insider info, and real talk from a number of Defence Partners who have previously shared their spouse journey with us on the Podcast.

This week on the Military Life Podcast, I had the privilege of having a genuine, insightful and defence family-focused conversation with Chief of Navy Australia Vice Admiral Mark Hammond.

Throughout my time as not only a Defence Partner but also now through my work in the defence family space, I have interacted with people from all services, various ranks, departments, and positions, and you get a feel when someone is genuine.

You get a feel when someone wants to listen, wants to understand, wants to acknowledge, and values the defence family perspective. Vice Admiral Hammond is one of those genuine people.

In episode 176, we discuss;

-What makes Defence and, in particular, Navy families special

-How fundamental families are when it comes to members and the Navy as a whole 

-Remembering that “our power at sea is derived from our family’s strength at home”

-The importance of frequent engagement with ADF members & families

-The ‘Stay Onboard Campaign’ explained, the focus on families, and why now?

-Continued listening to understand what matters most to Navy personnel and their families

-How his spouse and family, including his daughter, who is also in the Navy, have provided perspective

-Evaluating the Stay Onboard Campaign initiatives and the importance of continued improvement

-Recognising command teams, personnel, and bases having a positive impact for families

-Supporting those in leadership positions to balance capability needs and the needs of Navy families

Want to know more about the Stay Onboard Initiatives?

Check them out here https://www.navy.gov.au/navy-people/programs/stay-onboard-people-first

Have you seen the new Navy Families Handbook?

Download a copy here https://www.navy.gov.au/navy-people/family-support

Ready to join the Military Life Community? Click through the link to get connected xx

www.militarylife.com.au

Posting to a new location is a huge life event. Whether you do it every few years or, like me, have long stretches between moves because you choose to URF (unaccompanied Resident Family), it can be a lot.

Throw in selling a property, and the TO DO list can seem overwhelming.

It’s understandable that maybe you just want to take a minute between selling in one location and buying in the next so that you can catch your breath, unpack, and explore your new location.

Soooo, in the meantime, what do you do with the funds from the sale of your property, and which defence allowances can you access?

Queue Defence Bank’s Regional Manager Lending Distribution Ashley to walk us through some of the options.

In this episode, Ashley and I speak about;

-First steps when it comes to selling a property, your mortgage and everything in between

-The paperwork and admin you can get sorted ahead of time before selling and posting out

-What happens once your property sale goes through and the funds are released to your bank

-DHOAS (Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme) payments and what happens once you sell

-Applying for a new DHOAS certificate and accessing payments when it comes time to buy again

-Guidelines around accessing DHOAS when buying property upon transition out of Defence

-What is the HPSEA (Home Purchase or Sale Expenses Allowance), who can access it and when

-The costs associated with selling in one location and buying in another and what you can claim

-What to do with funds from the sale of a property and how to make the money work for you

-High-interest saving accounts, fixed-term deposit options, and the Salute Account explained

Check out the Defence Bank website for further information about buying and selling a property, as well as DHOAS, HPSEA, and other home buyer allowances. You can also find out more about Defence Bank's high-interest savings accounts, fixed-term deposit options and the exclusive Salute Account, which rewards ADF members for service milestones.  www.defencebank.com.au

On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, I ask Defence Partner Nicole, who is currently posted in the USA with her ADF member and two children, ALLLL the overseas posting questions you didn’t even know you needed answered!

In PART TWO, Nicole and I talk about;

- The regret Nicole and her Husband felt about moving overseas once the dust had settled

- The impact on her mental health when the reality of being so far from home set in

- Feeling like everything is hard and different and figuring out their new normal

- Finally settling into living overseas and finding the positives

- Being bitten by the travel bug and visiting New York, Florida and other bucket-list locations

- Working through concerns around safety in their new location  

- Getting to work to make their house a home and building a new friend circle

- The huge amount of choice you have in the USA and the associated decision fatigue

- Feeling like life in Australia goes on and wondering if they will be forgotten

- Nicole’s top advice for others posting overseas

If you didn’t listen to PART ONE of this episode, consider giving it a listen. There is so much great overseas posting insight in Episode 173, PART ONE.

Ready to join the Military Life community? Click through the link to get connected xx

www.militarylife.com.au