A new podcast series from Navy's Training Force Multimedia Unit (TFMU) aims to shine a light on lived operational experience through firsthand accounts of serving members.
The Ops Room podcast is now available on Horizon, the Training Force ForceNet page, and the Training Force Intranet page, releasing on a quarterly basis.
The brains behind the series are the Deputy Director - TFMU Karen Braithwaite-Shannon and producer Lynda Heys, who also acts as podcast host.
The series features officers and sailors from a variety of ranks, categories and backgrounds, providing invaluable insights into the Navy experience.
"The podcast format is a great opportunity to provide a personal and authentic insight into the RAN [Royal Australian Navy] experience and rare insight into operations or events that we might have only heard about or seen on the news," Ms Heys said.
In the inaugural episode, Ms Heys speaks with Captain Scott Houlihan, who details his experience as the Commanding Officer of HMAS Choules during Operation Bushfire Assist in the summer of 2019-20.
Captain Houlihan was responsible for coordinating one of the largest military evacuations in Australia's history, rescuing more than 1300 stricken townsfolk from fire-ravaged Mallacoota.
'The podcast format is a great opportunity to provide a personal and authentic insight into the RAN experience.'
He provides terrifying insight into the devastation suffered by the community as well as the diligence and empathy displayed by the crew of Choules.
"We were driving from the boat ramp into town and everything was burned, and it was burned beyond anything I had seen," Captain Houlihan said.
"I grew up on a farm and we'd been threatened by fires a few times, but I'd never seen one that had burned as hot and done as much damage. There were places where the sand had melted and turned to glass."
During the podcast, Ms Heys and Captain Houlihan discuss the key leadership qualities required for such operations, as well as the camaraderie and dedication to duty exhibited by the ship's company of Choules.
They also speak about his naval career and the various insights and experiences it has afforded.
"The podcast is dedicated to sharing authentic, people-focused conversations and delving deeply into the stories of our guests from across the services," Mrs Braithwaite-Shannon said.
"While we will be focusing primarily on Navy, we are very much open to inviting guests from across the three services and providing a platform for them to tell their stories, particularly as the ADF transitions to a more integrated and focused force."
