Transcript
I grew up in Darwin, I did my schooling in Darwin. I was born in Papua New Guinea because my father was stationed there. He was in the army before me, we moved around a little bit. But then I did all my schooling in Darwin and then joined the Australian Defence Force Academy in January 1991… he'd retired in about in the late 70s but that sense of his experience of the army was strong.
Throughout our family, we grew up knowing words like duty first and three ranks on the road, throughout our lives and that had quite a shaping influence. Although dad didn't put any pressure on me at all. In fact, I don't think he really wanted me to join.
It felt like a natural and simple thing for me. And, and when I did join, and I travelled down here to Canberra and joined up at ADFA, I felt pretty much straightaway, a sense of community with those people who I joined with, like-minded people, similarly motivated.
