Working Spirit with Karyn Hinder

Alex Lloyd speaks with founder of the veterans charity Working Spirit, Army and RAAF veteran Karyn Hinder.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and tells their story. This is a bonus episode focused on the veterans-run charity Working Spirit, in a conversation with its founder. Karyn Hinder is an army and air force veteran with over 25 years of service. She has deployed to Timor and the Middle East. Her passion today is assisting military veterans to find employment in their life after service. She launched Working Spirit in 2016, a registered not-for-profit charity. Karyn spoke with Alex Lloyd over Zoom.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #101 Bob Hunter

• Life After Service

• #128 Ryan Wilson

To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on social media: @lifeonthelinepodcast on Facebook and Instagram, @LOTLpod on Twitter and 'Thistle Productions' on LinkedIn.

#129 Paul Gebran

Alex Lloyd interviews Middle East, South Sudan and Cambodia veteran of the RAAF, Paul Gebran.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Paul Gebran is a veteran of the Royal Australian Air Force. He joined on April 24th 1990 and medically discharged on April 25th 2017. Paul spoke to Alex Lloyd about his deployments to Cambodia, South Sudan and the Middle East, and the volunteer work he does today with Northern Queensland Legacy.

They returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol V.

#121 Catherine Walsh

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Royal Australian Air Force veteran Catherine Walsh.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Catherine Walsh is a former Air Force intelligence officer and former aide-de-camp to the Governor-General. Today she’s Director of Veterans South Australia. Catherine spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about the RAAF, her deployment to the Middle East, her time in the Vice-Regal sphere, and her work today in the Air Force Reserves and with Veterans SA.

#101 Bob Hunter

Alex Lloyd interviews SAS veteran Bob Hunter.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. The Season 4 finale is with Bob Hunter, a former Squadron Commander in the Special Air Service Regiment. Bob was in command the night of the 1996 Black Hawk disaster, where two helicopters collided, and 15 SASR and 3 Aviation Regiment soldiers lost their lives. Bob spoke to Alex Lloyd about his years with the Australian SAS, his Middle East and Bougainville deployments, and about SAS culture and leadership.

To hear more about the 1996 Black Hawk disaster, listen to SAS Leadership Vol II with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis.

Bob was also featured in Season 4’s special holiday episode, Christmas on the Line Vol III.

This interview with Bob is the Season 4 finale. Life on the Line will return in 2021.

#99 Phillip Condoleon

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Timor, Indonesia and Middle East veteran, Phillip Condoleon.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Sergeant Phillip Condoleon is currently serving in the Australian Army in the 1st Psychology Unit. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Infantry in 1994 as a reservist and became full-time in 1999. Phillip deployed to Timor in 2000 as a rifleman. He spent time as a Linguist, including a deployment to Indonesia after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. In 2008, he became an Examiner Psychological, and is currently deployed to the Middle East with Joint Task Force 633 in this capacity. He spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about his deployment experiences, family and psychology work in the ADF. 

Mosul with Ben Mckelvey

Alex Lloyd speaks with Ben Mckelvey about his new book, Mosul, and the 2nd Commando Regiment.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Ben Mckelvey, author of Cameron Baird’s posthumous biography, has released a new book, “Mosul: Australia’s secret war inside the ISIS caliphate”. The book tells the stories of the late Ian Turner of the 2nd Commando Regiment, Australia’s role in the Battle for Mosul and Australian ISIS fighters. Ben speaks to Alex Lloyd about his new book and the 2nd Commando Regiment, public perceptions of Australian military operations in the Middle East and the impending IGADF inquiry into alleged war crimes.

#93 Kelly Hammant

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Kelly Hammant, on deployment to the Middle East at the time of recording.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Warrant Officer Class One Kelly Hammant has served in the Australian Army for 24 years and had 10 deployments, including to Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan and border protection. She deployed to the Middle East with the Theatre Communications Group Rotation 10 as the Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant, and this deployment finished at the end of September 2020. Kelly spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about her various deployments, her battle with alcoholism as a result of trauma from her service, how she overcame those difficulties, the mentoring role she plays to young people today, and the impact of COVID-19 on her recent deployment.

#89 Zion Connors

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Zion Connors, currently on deployment to the Middle East.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Private Zion Connors is serving on Operation Accordion as a unit storeman as part of the Theatre Communications Group Rotation 10, providing logistics support to other operations throughout the Middle East. The 20-year-old soldier spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about his proud Indigenous heritage and how joining the Australian Army changed his life, making him a role model to his family and community.

#86 Susan Coyle

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Susan Coyle, currently on deployment to Afghanistan as Commander Joint Task Force 633.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Major General Susan Coyle CSC, DSM is a senior officer in the Australian Army. She is currently on deployment to Afghanistan as the commander of Joint Task Force 633, responsible for all Australian operations in the Middle East. She is the first woman to command the task force, which comprises 1200 personnel on Operation Okra. Susan spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about her extensive military career, including her deployments to East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan.

#83 Dean and Alan Bretherton

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews father and son veterans Dean and Alan Bretherton.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. In this podcast Sharon Mascall-Dare conducts two interviews with a father and son: Dean Bretherton, a veteran of the New Zealand Air Force, and his son Alan Bretherton, who is currently in the Middle East on operations with the Australian Army.

Dean served in the New Zealand Defence Force for 22 years. He spoke to Sharon about his own service and his family’s deep military history.

Captain Alan Bretherton is currently on operations as the Deputy Plans Officer for Joint Task Force 633. He’s also serving as the Gender Advisor to the commander of JTF633, Major General Susan Coyle. Alan spoke to Sharon about his career to date, and what it’s like to be an officer in today’s Australian Army.

#17 Dave Stafford Finney

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Bougainville, East Timor and Middle East veteran Dave Stafford Finney. Dave served as a marine technician and was medically discharged in late 2017.

Dave returned to the podcast in the episode Panel - Life After Service, and again in Christmas on the Line.

Dave tragically passed away in February 2019. Find out more here.

#6 Ivan Ingham

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Ivan Ingham, formerly of the Royal Navy and currently serving with the Royal Australian Navy. This is the story of a modern Navy serviceman. Our thanks go to Defence Media for organising the interview.