Episodes

  • This week on the Military Life Podcast, I speak with spouses Emma and Elise about their participation in Cowork Coplay, an amazing program that aims to give Defence Partners the time and space to focus on their career goals and projects, be they related to study, business, or job-hunting.

    Emma and Elise went into the Cowork Coplay program, which ran in Adelaide in early 2023, with different expectations, and both walked out of the program with positive outcomes.

    Emma and I spoke about;

    -Why taking part in the Cowork Coplay program gave her the permission and courage to show up for herself and her goals

    -The supportive and understanding environment the Cowork Coplay program creates for participants

    -How the Cowork Coplay program helped her feel energised and realise she had so much to offer an employer

    -Understanding the value of her skills and deciding to take her career in a new direction

    -The confidence fellow participants gave her to be open to new opportunities, apply for jobs, and secure employment by the end of the program

    -Connecting with support, services and the Defence community and the positive impact it had on her wellbeing

    Elise and I spoke about;

    -The impact her remote job was having on her well-being and setting boundaries

    -How the career development sessions helped her get clarity around whether to stay in her current role or look for new opportunities

    -The incredible support and understanding that was offered by fellow Cowork Coplay participants

    -Being seen as more than JUST a Defence partner, setting intentions, goals and figuring out next steps to take action

    -The importance of having dedicated time to focus on herself and what she needed to get career focus

    -How the Cowork Coplay program helped her fall in love with her job again and see all of the positives it had to offer

    As we heard from Emma and Elise’s stories, it is so important Defence Partners are supported with innovative programs like Cowork Coplay to not only support their wellbeing but also provide the time and space for professional development by combining the things that matter: meaningful work, community and family.

    Cowork Coplay programs are delivered by Human Quotient Group, a veteran- and female-led Australian social enterprise. The program was created by Claire Harris, a Defence spouse, informed by feedback from the Defence community, her lived experience and professional expertise.

    The good news is that the Cowork Coplay program will once again get underway in Adelaide, South Australia, thanks to the support of Veterans SA and for the first time, the Cowork Coplay program will be available in Perth, Western Australia, with the support of Navy.

    To find out more information or register your interest in participating, visit the Cowork Coplay website www.coworkcoplay.com.au

  • This week on the podcast, my Husband Scott and I talk about our current and past experiences with living apart and being MWDU (Member with Dependants Unaccompanied) or URF (Unaccompanied Resident Family) as it is called now.

    In PART ONE, Scott and I also talk about;

    How our 5th MWDU experience went and the big decisions we needed to make

    Why communication and checking in with each other is so important

    How different life stages impact how you experience MWDU & living apart

    Finding out our next posting location and the big changes that are ahead

    Navigating a defence move after being in one location for 13 years

    Supporting our children through their first defence move

    Leaving our dream home so that we can finally all be together again

    Balancing the many emotions of leaving one location and starting fresh in the next

    Click through to Episode 166 of the podcast to listen to PART TWO.

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

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  • This week on the podcast, my Husband Scott and I talk about our current and past experiences with living apart and being MWDU (Member with Dependants Unaccompanied) or URF (Unaccompanied Resident Family) as it is called now.

    In PART TWO (click through and listen to PART ONE Ep165 first), Scott and I also talk about;

    Why we decided to wait to tell our children we were moving

    How we approached such a huge conversation with our children

    Shifting from owning our own home to living in a DHA property

    Making space to fully experience our new posting location

    Focusing on the importance of making a home wherever we all are

    Figuring out how to live and parent together again

    The things we are most looking forward to when we are back together

    The heartbreak that comes with saying goodbye to best friends, our chosen family

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

  • On this week’s Military Life *Parents Edition* podcast episode, I speak with Spouse and Defence School Mentor Bianca about her new business, ‘Someone I Love is in Defence’.

    Bianca and I also spoke about;

    Her journey from being an ADF member herself, transitioning out & finding her feet as a Defence Partner

    Navigating Defence life, starting a family and deciding to take up a role as a Defence School Mentor

    How being a DSM opened her eyes to the need for more and varied resources for Defence Kids

    Deciding to turn her ideas into activity sheets, colouring, activity and storybooks with specific themes for Australian Defence Kids

    Why the support of her Navy husband and FREE entrepreneur courses through the Prince’s Trust and Frontline Labs were key to establishing and launching her business

    The importance of the resources serving a dual purpose- to be entertaining and also facilitate meaningful interactions

    How her activity sheets and books encourage conversations and Defence Kids to ask questions, express emotions, and strengthen their bond with their ADF member

    Focusing on a variety of Defence Life topics like moving, deployment, living apart from your ADF member (URF) and the transition out of Defence

    The importance of co-designing her resources and books with Defence Kids and parents

    How to access free resources via her website and when the activity books and Army, Navy, RAAF books will be available for purchase

    Follow Bianca on her ‘Someone I Love is in Defence’ socials via the below links or sign up for her newsletter on her website https://www.someoneiloveisindefence.com.au/ to be the first to know when her colouring, activity and storybooks will be ready to purchase.

    Follow along on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/someoneiloveisindefence

    Follow along on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/someoneiloveisindefence

  • On this week’s Military Life Podcast Episode, enjoy listening to some real talk from a handful of Defence Partners who have previously detailed their spouse journey with us on past episodes.

    Episode 163 is all about accessing Defence-related Support and making Spouse Friends.

    As you will hear from listening to the stories of Defence Partners Hana, Emma, Jeni, Catherine, Chaia, Cheree, and Chantelle, our journeys are unique yet have many common threads that connect us.

    So, get comfy and enjoy listening to this compilation episode that sheds light on the question…

    What was it like accessing Defence Family-related Support and Making Spouse Friends?

    To listen to the full episode, scroll to Ep121 (24/3/22) for Hana’s story, Ep103 (2/9/21) for Emma’s story, Ep155 (27/7/23) for Jeni’s story, Ep111 (26/11/21) for Catherine’s story, Ep136 (15/9/22) for Chaia’s story, Ep91 (6/5/21) for Cheree’s story or Ep107 (710/21) for Chantelle's story.

    Did you know that you can access various Defence-related services and support? Check my online Defence Partner INFO Hub for all the contact details Defence Partner INFO Hub - Military Life or download the Defence Member and Family Information Guide (thanks to DMFS) Click HERE to read

  • On this week’s Military Life Podcast Episode, enjoy listening to some real talk from a handful of Defence Partners who have previously detailed their spouse journey with us on past episodes.

    Episode 162 is all about how Defence Partners support their Mental Health while living Defence Life.

    As you will hear from listening to the stories of Defence Partners Chaia, Catherine, Rachael, Nicole, Kim, and Amanda, our journeys are unique yet have many common threads that connect us.

    So, get comfy and enjoy listening to this compilation episode that sheds light on the question…

    How do Defence Partners Support their Mental Health while living Defence Life?

    To listen to the full episode, scroll to Ep136 (15/9/22) for Chaia’s story, Ep111 (26/11/21) for Catherine’s story, Ep131 (11/8/22) for Rachael’s story, Ep89 (15/4/21) for Nicole’s story, Ep82 (11/2/21) for Kim’s story or Ep87 (25/3/21) for Amanda’s story.

  • Defence Partners + Career = Complicated!

    On this week’s Military Life Podcast Episode, enjoy listening to some real talk from a handful of Defence Partners who have previously detailed their spouse journey with us on past episodes.

    Episode 161 is all about how Defence Partners focus on and further their Careers while living Defence Life.

    As you will hear from listening to the stories of Defence Partners Amelia, Brooke, Jade, Freya, Elle, and Bec, our Career journeys are unique yet have many common threads that connect us.

    So, get comfy and enjoy listening to this compilation episode that sheds light on the question…

    How do Defence Partners envision their careers actually working alongside Defence Life?

    To listen to the full episode’s scroll to Ep54 (25/6/20) for Amelia’s story, Ep56 (16/7/20) for Brooke’s story, Ep63 (3/9/20) for Jade’s story, Ep146 (2/3/23) for Freya’s story, Ep19 (4/9/19) for Elle’s story or Ep41 (27/2/20) for Bec’s story.

  • On this week’s Military Life *Parents Edition* podcast episode, enjoy listening to some real talk from a handful of Defence Partners who are already Parents or are planning for a family in the future.

    Arusha, Bianca, Ashley, Anika and Bec have all previously detailed their spouse journey on past episodes, and as you will hear from listening to their stories, our experiences are unique yet have many common threads that connect us.

    So, get comfy and enjoy listening to this compilation episode that sheds light on the question… How do you even plan for a family while living defence life, let alone support defence kids through the challenges and celebrations that come with it?

    To listen to the full episode’s scroll to Ep23 (2/10/19) for Arusha’s story, Ep80 (28/1/21) for Bianca’s story, Ep7 (16/5/19) for Ashley’s story, Ep18 (28/8/19) for Anika’s story or Ep17 (21/8/19) for Bec’s story.

  • This week on the podcast, enjoy listening to some real talk from a handful of Defence Partners who have previously detailed their spouse journey with us on past episodes.

    Episode 159 of the Military Life Podcast is all about what it’s really like to become a Defence Partner and live Defence Life.

    As you will hear from listening to the stories of Defence Partners Nicole, Rae, Katie, and Amanda, our experiences are unique yet have many common threads that run so deep and connect us.

    So, get comfy and enjoy listening to this compilation episode that sheds light on the question… What was your introduction to Defence Life really like?

    To listen to the full episodes, scroll to Ep89 (15/4/21) for Nicole’s story, Ep125 (28/4/22) for Rae’s story, Ep86 (18/3/21) for Katie’s story or Ep87 (25/3/21) for Amanda's story.

  • On this week’s Military Life Podcast episode and as the Defence Community start to receive news of postings and possible moves, I re-release PART TWO of my chat with Defence Partner and Declutter Expert Tara Tuttle.

    Tara knows the challenges of Defence Life and moving and packing and unpacking and all the things!

    Tara also knows the challenges Defence Families can face when it comes to organisation, clutter, holding onto things, feeling overwhelmed and how physical and mental clutter are often connected.

    In PART TWO, Tara and I talk about;

    -Just in case items and how they hold us down

    -When excess and clutter prevent us from living the way we want to live

    -Setting aside time to declutter and organise and starting small in order to avoid overwhelm

    -Taking time to find or create homes for our belongings when we post into a new location

    -How that can allow us, mentally, to feel more settled

    -How deciding to let go of stuff is just the first step in the process and how having a plan and committing to the whole process is key.

    PLEASE NOTE: This podcast episode was recorded a couple of years ago, and while the content is still so relevant, it should be noted that Tara does not currently operate the Life Coach/Decluttering business she mentions in this podcast episode and is no longer recording new episodes of her BeUncluttered Podcast. To listen to past episodes, check it out here

  • On this week’s Military Life Podcast episode and as the Defence Community start to receive news of postings and possible moves, I re-release PART ONE of my chat with Defence Partner and Declutter Expert Tara Tuttle.

    Tara knows the challenges of Defence Life and moving and packing and unpacking and all the things!

    Tara also knows the challenges Defence Families can face when it comes to organisation, clutter, holding onto things, feeling overwhelmed and how physical and mental clutter are often connected.

    Tara and I talk about;

    -The two types of people when it comes to decluttering

    -How Defence Life can lead us to be less critical about our belongings

    -How saying yes to having LESS physical possessions or mental clutter allows us to make space for what is really important

    -All things decluttering and letting go

    In PART TWO of this podcast episode, Tara and I talk about just-in-case items and how they hold us down, when excess and clutter prevent us from living the way we want, setting aside time to declutter and organise, and so much more.

    PLEASE NOTE: This podcast episode was recorded a couple of years ago, and while the content is still so relevant, it should be noted that Tara does not currently operate the Life Coach/Decluttering business she mentions in this podcast episode and is no longer recording new episodes of her BeUncluttered Podcast. To listen to past episodes, check it out here

  • On this week’s Military Life *Parents Edition* podcast episode, I speak with Defence Partner Chrissy who went on a blind date with an ADF member 13 years ago and never looked back.

    Chrissy and I also talk about;

    -Why, after backpacking solo for five years, the Defence lifestyle really suited her

    -How her attitude to the unknown of defence life changed once children came into the picture

    -Balancing Defence life with career & the needs of her son, who is autistic with a mild intellectual disability

    -Why their family is now living apart after her RAAF husband received a posting to Richmond

    -The reasons that forced her hand when it came time to decide whether to post with her husband

    -The lack of support and services available for Defence families with a child with additional needs

    -How living apart has been going and being faced with living apart for another 7+ years

    -Questioning whether choosing stability and support for their kids over living together was the right decision

    -Stepping back into the workforce after an eight-year gap and balancing all the things

    -Staying connected thanks to Facetime and spending quality time together on weekends

    Did you know that Defence Partners, defence children and those considered to be a recognised other person, who have additional needs, can apply to get those additional needs recognised?

    Defence may provide special needs benefits for resident family members with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, sensory impairments, learning or behavioural difficulties, speech disorders and other medical illnesses or impairments.

    To apply, your ADF member will need to download a copy of the Application for Recognition of member with dependant with special needs (AC832) form from the Web Forms portal on the Defence Protected Network (DPN).

    To find out more info visit the Defence Member and Family Support (DMFS) website here

    https://pay-conditions.defence.gov.au/register-resident-family-members-special-needs

    You can also access support online or in your area via the Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG) here http://dsnsg.org.au/

  • On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, I caught up with Defence Partner Jeni, who was a guest on the podcast on ep98.

    Back in 2021, Jeni and I spoke about her upcoming move across the country for her husband’s first posting, the transition from civilian to defence family life after being together for 13 years, leaving friends and family and helping their kids start fresh in WA.

    We also spoke about acknowledging your capacity when taking on the mental and physical load of the household while also figuring out Defence Life.

    In this episode, Jeni updates us on how the move went and what the first few years of Defence Life have been like for their family.

    We cover it all. Settling kids, experiencing their first deployment, finding employment, living in DHA housing for the first time, being on the other side of the country from friends and family and everything familiar.

    Scroll back to ep98 if you would like to refresh your memory by listening to Jeni’s original episode, but be sure to come back and listen to this ep (155) because it has such great insight regarding the first few years of Defence Life!

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

    www.militarylife.com.au

  • On this week's Military Life *Parents Edition* podcast episode, I speak with spouse Simone about the first 5 years of Defence Life and supporting her two kids through huge changes.

    Simone and I also talk about;

    -Her husband’s connection to Defence & how that played into his decision to join

    -Why Defence Force Recruiting told her Husband to come back in a year or two

    -The importance of making the decision to become a Defence Family together

    -Why no amount of research or advice could prepare them for living Defence life

    -The true toll separation takes on the spouse, the kids and the ADF member

    -Expectation of what Defence life would be like vs the reality

    -First Posting, First Deployment and Everything in between

    -Supporting kids who had to get used to Dad not being home every night

    -The balance of looking after her needs, the kids needs & the ADF members

    -The pros and cons of posting to the same location they lived in before joining Defence

    -The first deployment and why it helped connect Simone to the bigger Defence picture

    -Possible future postings and why Defence might not be a ‘for life’ option

    NEW to Defence Life? Pop over to the Defence Partner Info Hub. I’ve translated all that ‘defence speak’, untangled information and laid it all out in one easy-to-navigate space in easy-to-understand language https://militarylife.com.au/defence-partner-info-hub/

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

  • In this week's podcast episode and as part of Pride month, I re-release my chat with Racheal Cosgrove, President of DEFGLIS, the Defence LGBTI Information Service.

    Racheal and I spoke about;

    How and why DEFGLIS started Who DEFGLIS support and represent How DEFGLIS has changed and evolved over the years The impact DEFGLIS has had on the lives of LGBTI Defence members and their families Why it is important to have a group like DEFGLIS The safe and secure space DEFGLIS offers for LGBTI members and their families Why DEFGLIS are working to stamp out discrimination in the workplace Some of the ways DEFGLIS have helped change Defence policy & practices Why it is so important DEFGLIS continue to advocate for policy change How DEFGLIS help connect the LGBTI defence community The impact of not feeling as though you can come to work as your whole self creates Why feeling misunderstood or unsupported at work leads to a reduction in output and how that impacts capability How to be an ally for fellow defence families who are part of the LGBTI community How those who are part of the LGBTI Defence community can reach out for help and support

    If you would like to find out more information about DEFGLIS or pass on the links to someone who might be interested, there are a few ways to do so;

    Website- https://www.defglis.com.au/

    Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DEFGLIS

    Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/defglis/

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

  • On this week's Military Life *PARENTS EDITION* podcast episode, I check in with the University of New England’s Dr Marg Rogers to find out how the Children’s Family Resilience Programs have been going.

    The programs and related resources were developed following Dr Rogers’ PhD studies and research that found there was a huge gap in the understanding and support of 2- 8-year-old defence kids.

    Marg and I also talk about;

    -Why giving 2- 8-year-old defence kids a voice was important.

    -The lack of age and culturally-appropriate resources for defence kids.

    -Figuring out why support and resources were only available for school-age defence kids.

    -The importance of supporting defence kids to build a sense of belonging in their formative years.

    -Focusing on deployment, separation, the impact and how to best support 2-8-year-olds.

    -Launching the pilot program and developing co-designed research-backed resources.

    -Listening to feedback from defence parents and kids so the programs & resources were on point.

    -Why it was important defence parents, and kids helped shape the final products.

    -The 12 downloadable research-based story books (8 interactive) and related resources.

    -Staying focused on the overall goal, which is for defence kids to be well.

    -Being recognised and named the 2022 joint award winner for the Council of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences ‘Distinctive Work’.

    -Acknowledging the team effort with specialist consultants, a web team, Steering Committee, program authors, contributors and those with lived experience involved.

    -Why military support organisations in Canada are now looking to adapt the programs & resources for Canadian military educators, parents and kids.

    -What next and the need for more resources around the topics of relocation, moral injury and for veteran families who have transitioned out of the ADF.

    To listen to the previous episode with Dr Roger’s where we discuss her research in-depth, search for ep68 of the Military Life Podcast.

    Please note that since recording this episode, the EC Defence Programs has changed its name to the Children’s Family Resilience Programs.

    To access the research findings, FREE books, resources, and programs, visit https://ecdefenceprograms.com/

    Ready to join the Military Life and the Military Parents community? Click through the links to get connected xx

    www.militarylife.com.au

    www.militaryparents.com.au

  • On this week's podcast episode, I speak with new spouse Emily about deciding to move with her ADF member after dating for just ONE month and how they are ensuring Defence life works for both of them.

    Emily and I also talk about;

    Meeting on a dating app and finding out about his ADF career Having open and honest conversations one month into dating Deciding to move from Newcastle to South Australia Telling family and friends and the varied reactions What happens when you post, and you are not in a recognised relationship Finding a private rental property and living together for the first time The benefit of studying an Online University Degree Moving to a new location, starting fresh and feeling alone Open communication and staying connected even while separated The process of becoming a recognised couple in the eyes of Defence The decision to move from a private rental to a DHA property Figuring out how to make Defence Life work for both of them Finding out together about the Defence entitlements they can access Helping other Defence Partners to connect and build a support network Future postings, career goals and plans to start a family

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

  • Welcome to the 150th episode of the podcast! What a huge milestone for ALL of us to celebrate.

    4 years of the podcast, 150 episodes and 80,000 downloads!!!

    I want to say thank you to all of you for sharing your stories, listening, supporting, for getting it! YOU. JUST. GET. IT.

    Thank you for this community we have all built and for this amazing space of connection and belonging we have all created.

    It has been 4 years, 150 episodes and 80,000 downloads of Defence Partners and Families being seen and heard, allowing us to share in the ups and downs of military life, to share experiences, advice, information and insight. SO MUCH VALUABLE INSIGHT!

    It has been 4 years, 150 episodes and 80,000 downloads of Defence Partners and Families feeling acknowledged for all that we do and sacrifice and juggle and most importantly- for 4 years, 150 episodes and 80,000 downloads the Military Life Community has been a place where all Defence Partners and Families, Navy, Army and Air Force, can connect and belong.

    So get comfy and enjoy listening to some of the best advice, words of wisdom, tips and tricks, insider info… real talk from Defence Partners who have previously shared their spouse journey with us on episode 150 of the Military Life Podcast.

    If you would like further information about any of the topics touched on in this episode like defence housing, Open Arms and connecting with other Defence Partners and Families check out the Defence Partner INFO Hub over on the Military Life Website. The INFO Hub has all the essential need-to-know-basics about Defence Life.

    https://militarylife.com.au/defence-partner-info-hub/

  • On this week's podcast episode, I caught up with Defence Partner Leah who was a guest on the Military Life podcast a few years ago on episode 29.

    Back in 2019 Leah and I spoke about her quest to find meaningful employment, a long IVF journey and what happened to their remaining and only frozen embryo when they posted out of their location.

    On this episode, Leah updates us on the last few years, where have they posted to, what was the result of their final round of IVF with that one last frozen embryo, returning to work and pursuing her passion and a surprise decision.

    Scroll back to ep29 if you would like to refresh your memory by having a listen to Leah’s original episode but be sure to come back and listen to ep149 because it truly is such an amazing update.

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

  • On this week's podcast episode, I speak with spouse Chantel about how COVID lockdowns gave her and her ADF partner the time and space to establish their relationship and start a family.

    Chantel and I also speak about;

    How they met and why after only knowing each other for three weeks, Chantel kinda moved in Her ADF partners fears starting a relationship, and the toll deployments take on a couple Why Chantel used time apart as a chance to focus on herself and her own busy life The pressure of being separated while trying to get to know each other Seeing the positives when it came to COVID lockdowns and cancelled away time Moving in together and starting a family early on in their relationship When reality hit and Chantel’s partner went away for an extended time post lockdowns Learning to put her hand up for help and accessing the support that is out there News of her defence members first posting away from the location they met Why Chantel made the decision to move to their posting location ahead of her partner The challenge of finding a DHA property, childcare and employment in Canberra Looking after her own well-being and deciding to start a business

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