True Blue Conversations Podcast

On this special episode of True Blue Conversations, we sit down with Australian
Army Combat Medic veteran and Distinguished Service Medal recipient Damien
Silva. This man has faced some of the most confronting moments of Australia's war
in Afghanistan.From the chaos of the battlefield to the split-second decisions that mean life or
death, Damien opens up about serving as a combat medic alongside some of
Australia's elite soldiers. He reflects on the night in 2009 when he fought to save
Mason Edwards from the 2nd Commando Regiment after he was critically wounded
in an MRE pre-deployment in Cultana, South Australia — a moment that would stay
with him forever.
Damien also takes us inside one of the darkest chapters of the Afghanistan war: the
2010 Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed the lives of three Australian soldiers
and seriously injured many others. He speaks candidly about treating the fallen, the
emotional toll carried by medics, and the burden of being the person trying to hold
everything together when tragedy strikes.
This is a raw and powerful conversation about service, sacrifice, trauma, mateship,
and what happens after the battlefield goes quiet. It's the story of a man who stood
shoulder to shoulder with Australia's finest in their darkest hours — and carried those
memories home and found purpose long after the dust settles from the battlefields.
This is raw; it's in your face and a must-listen for all veterans and first responders.
This is True Blue Conversations, honouring those who serve and remembering those
who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, LEST WE FORGET.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Damien Silva
Editor: Kyle Watkins

G'day and welcome back to True Blue Conversations — where we sit down with
Australians who've dedicated their lives to service, leadership, and shaping the
nation we're proud to call home.
Today's guest is Major Damien Batty, a retired Australian Army Officer who served
with distinction for more than 26 years in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
and broader Defence organisation. Appointed in 1996 and commissioned in 1997, he
built a career defined by leadership, professionalism, operational service, and
unwavering dedication to the soldiers and units under his command.
Throughout his career, Major Batty served across a broad range of operational,
instructional, logistical, and Special Operations appointments, including postings to
1st Field Hospital, 1st Health Support Battalion, Special Operations Headquarters,
Army School of Health, Army School of Logistic Operations, and Headquarters 17th
Sustainment Brigade. His service reflected a rare blend of operational experience,
strategic capability, and commitment to mentoring and developing others.
Major Batty deployed on multiple operations, including Operation BEL ISI, Operation
ANODE, Operation SLIPPER in Afghanistan, and Operation COVID ASSIST. 
His honours and awards include the Afghanistan Medal, Australian Active Service
Medal, Australian Service Medal, Army Combat Badge, NATO ISAF Medal, and the
Meritorious Unit Citation for service with Special Operations Task Groups.
Widely respected for his integrity, loyalty, and devotion to duty, Major Batty's career
stands firmly in the finest traditions of the Australian Army. 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 and finding purpose after service.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Damo Batty
Editor: Kyle Watkins

G'day and welcome back to True Blue Conversations — where we sit down with Australians who've dedicated their lives to service, leadership, and shaping the nation we're proud to call home. 

Today's guest represents the very heart of Australian values — integrity, service, and a deep commitment to community. We're honoured to be joined in the special 150th episode by Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC, the 28th Governor-General of Australia. 

With a career spanning business, sport, climate advocacy, and social justice, Sam Mostyn has long been a powerful voice for fairness, inclusion, and national progress. From boardrooms to grassroots initiatives, she's championed the idea that leadership is about lifting others and leaving things better than you found them. 

Now, as the King's representative in Australia, she carries forward a proud tradition — supporting our communities, recognising extraordinary Australians, and reflecting the spirit of a modern nation. 

In this conversation, we go beyond the title — into the person, the purpose, and the passion behind the role. 

This is a yarn about service at the highest level… about what it means to represent a nation… and about staying grounded while carrying great responsibility. 

So, settle in — for this special 150th episode.  

This is True Blue Conversations with Her Excellency, Sam Mostyn AC.

G'day and welcome back to True Blue Conversations — where we share the stories
of those who've stood the line, served their country's communities, and carried the
weight of responsibility most will never truly understand. In this episode, we sit down
with Sue Osborn, whose career is anything but ordinary.
Sue spent 27 and a half years in the Australian Army, operating in some of the most
demanding environments you can imagine. She started as a Combat Medic,
spending 15 years at the pointy end—where decisions are immediate, the stakes are
life and death, and there's no room for hesitation.
She then made a hard pivot into a completely different battlefield, spending the next
12 and a half years as an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Operator—a drone pilot—working
in the evolving space of modern aviation warfare, where pressure doesn't disappear,
it just changes form.
Across her career, Sue deployed to the Solomon Islands, East Timor, and completed
two tours of Afghanistan. She's seen conflict up close, and from a distance—but
always with real consequences attached to every decision. What stands out about
Sue isn't just the length of her service, it's the range. She's operated on the ground,
under pressure, treating casualties… and later, from the air, where the responsibility
shifts but never gets lighter.
This is someone who understands what it means to perform when it matters—again
and again, over nearly three decades. But wait until the end when you hear what
she's doing now, this is a raw and honest chat about service and the toll that service
has both physically and mentally.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Sue Osborn
Editor: Kyle Watkins

G'day and welcome back to True Blue Conversations — where we share the stories
of those who've stood the line, served their country's communities, and carried the
weight of responsibility most will never truly understand. In this episode, we sit down
with Sue Osborn, whose career is anything but ordinary.
Sue spent 27 and a half years in the Australian Army, operating in some of the most
demanding environments you can imagine. She started as a Combat Medic,
spending 15 years at the pointy end—where decisions are immediate, the stakes are
life and death, and there's no room for hesitation.
She then made a hard pivot into a completely different battlefield, spending the next
12 and a half years as an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Operator—a drone pilot—working
in the evolving space of modern aviation warfare, where pressure doesn't disappear,
it just changes form.
Across her career, Sue deployed to the Solomon Islands, East Timor, and completed
two tours of Afghanistan. She's seen conflict up close, and from a distance—but
always with real consequences attached to every decision. What stands out about
Sue isn't just the length of her service, it's the range. She's operated on the ground,
under pressure, treating casualties… and later, from the air, where the responsibility
shifts but never gets lighter.
This is someone who understands what it means to perform when it matters—again
and again, over nearly three decades. But wait until the end when you hear what
she's doing now, this is a raw and honest chat about service and the toll that service
has both physically and mentally.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Sue Osborn
Editor: Kyle Watkins