True Blue Conversations Podcast

On this week's podcast, I speak with Captain Jonathan Finch, whose 27year journey
in the Australian Defence Force reflects the evolution of a peacetime organisation
into one operating at an intense operational tempo around the world. Finchy began
his career in 1999, enlisting in the Army Reserve as a cook—just as the ADF was
transitioning into an era marked by frequent deployments and complex missions
abroad.
Over the years, Finchy's adaptability, professionalism, and appetite for challenge
saw him rise through the Australian Army Catering Corps to the rank of Sergeant
before commissioning as a logistics officer within the Royal Australian Corps of
Transport. His career has carried him across the IndoPacific and throughout
Australia on a wide variety of operations, humanitarian tasks, and training
commitments. From remote community support to international deployments, his
service has spanned nearly every corner of the Army's contemporary mission set.
Today, CAPT Finch continues to serve with enthusiasm, contributing his extensive
experience to capability development, junior leader mentoring, and operational
planning. Beyond Defence, he remains engaged in community organisations,
bringing the same energy and dedication to local initiatives as he does to his military
career.
 
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Jonathan Finch
Editor: Kyle Watkins

On this week's podcast, I speak with former Australian Army Combat Medic Jody
Tieche, a man whose story is built on service, resilience, and the experiences that
come from operating in some of the most demanding environments imaginable.
Jody served as a combat medic with the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, a
role that puts you right in the thick of it. When soldiers are wounded and every
second matters, the medic is the one running toward the danger — carrying the
responsibility of keeping his mates alive. Jody served in Timor in 2006 and served
two tours of Afghanistan, Rotation IV with Task Force 66 in 2007 and Rotation VII in
2008.
In this episode, we're going to talk about Jody's journey into the military, what it's
really like serving as a combat medic, the realities of battlefield medicine, and how
those experiences shape the person you become long after the uniform comes off.
After Jody left the military and went into the mining industry, before moving into Oil
and Gas as a Paramedic.
In 2021, Jody applied and was successful in securing employment with the South
Australian Ambulance Service through the Internship program. Shift work and
juggling on-road workload, plus young toddlers, became too much for Jody and his
wife. Jody put his family first and concluded his internship.
Jody currently works for BHP as a Paramedic/Emergency Services Officer.
It's a raw and honest conversation about service, sacrifice, and the bonds that are
forged when people rely on each other in life-and-death moments.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Jody Tieche
Editor: Kyle Watkins

On this week's podcast, I speak with former Australian Army Reservist and NSW
Police Officer Matt Nicholson. Matt served in the NSW Police for 18 years.
After leaving school, Matt joined the Army reserves and joined the Royal Australian
Artillery Corps. In 2007, Matt was accepted into the NSW Police and headed to the
academy in 2008. Matt spent his career as a general duties officer and later moved
into the Raptor task force targeting bikie gangs and other organised crime groups.
Matt was diagnosed with PTSD and was medically retired from the NSW Police after
18 years' service, Matt suffered what every veteran and first responders face when
they transition out of service and how to find purpose as a civilian, this is a raw and
honest chat about life as a general duties police officer and what they face on a day
to day basis protecting the community.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Matt Nicholson
Editor: Kyle Watkins

On this week's podcast, I speak with former Australian Army Reservist and NSW
Police Officer Matt Nicholson. Matt served in the NSW Police for 18 years.
After leaving school, Matt joined the Army reserves and joined the Royal Australian
Artillery Corps. In 2007, Matt was accepted into the NSW Police and headed to the
academy in 2008. Matt spent his career as a general duties officer and later moved
into the Raptor task force targeting bikie gangs and other organised crime groups.
Matt was diagnosed with PTSD and was medically retired from the NSW Police after
18 years' service, Matt suffered what every veteran and first responders face when
they transition out of service and how to find purpose as a civilian, this is a raw and
honest chat about life as a general duties police officer and what they face on a day
to day basis protecting the community.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Matt Nicholson
Editor: Kyle Watkins

On this week's podcast, I speak with Arron Ferguson, a former 23-year NSW Police
Detective and 24-year Australian Army 1st Commando Regiment Special Forces
Operator. Arron joined the army first as a commando, and two years later, he was
offered a spot on a deployment to Timor. However, the NSW Police also offered a
full-time policing position at the academy. Arron lived a double life as both a
Detective and army Special Forces reserve soldier. Arron was involved in hundreds
of domestic police investigations and then deployments to Timor and highly kinetic
operations in Afghanistan as part of the special operations task force. He was forced
into early retirement due to a genetic muscle disease, which took a toll on his mental
health and, not to mention, his physical capabilities. In this podcast, Arron talks
about the loss of mates while he was deployed in Afghanistan, how policing has
changed from when he joined and the true mental cost of serving as a first responder
and in the military. Arron also talks about the mental health aspect of loss of purpose
and finding purpose again after being diagnosed with this genetic muscle disease,
and what every veteran and first responder struggles with transition back to civilian
life after living a high kinetic life that veterans and first responders live.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Arron Ferguson
Editor: Kyle Watkins