Guys, very very special weekend ahead and I strongly urge people to get out attended dawn service swing past an RSL have a chat with men and women who have served for this country. We are joined by Captain Jeremy Smith this morning.
Good morning, sah No, thank you very much for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.
Thanks so much for coming in. First of all, it is and Zac Day on Saturday. What does an Zac Day mean to you so much?
I think as a veteran, it's a day just to take pause and reflect on those times that we spent together in the militip but also those people have sacrificed all and everyone's sacrificed something for their volunteering for their country, both people that I've known and in people perform my time as well.
So when you reflect, do you obviously reflect with pride and by the way, thank you for your service, and we'll get to that shortly, But do you also reflect with with a heavy heart and remember clearly mates that have fallen.
Yeah, definitely, And it's not just and my story is more so. And I did three deployments over my time in the military. But it's those that are not with US post the military times. Obviously they had two friends have taken their own life, which I've had to do eulogies for which wouldn't wish on anyone. And through those experiences you see how many others have really been suffering in their post service time as well as those were
actually physically injured during times of war. So they're the things that you often draw strong thoughts about, strong memories from. But it's just bringing that madship back, Like there will be guys you wouldn't have seen for twenty years that we serve with and it's like you haven't skipped debate and it's amazing just that unity through those hardships, a strong relationship.
Yeah, you were just twenty four when you were deployed to a rock. That is like, you're such a young man. Do you look at your life now and go, gosh, I was just a boy?
Yeah, it's crazy. So if you think about it, at the age of twenty four is in charge of about forty soldiers and the movement of every Australian throughout back.
That wow, twenty four four year olds.
And we were incredibly well trained, incredibly incredibly well drilled. But at twenty four. You just don't know. You haven't lived. Some of the stuff we did was stupid because you think you're just invincible. And I look back on it now, I said, you know, we'd drive past what we think is the roadside bomb and duck, which is dumb, like you shouldn't do that, But you know, we had a
such a strong bondo and did some amazing stuff. I look upon that and I guess the opportunity I've taken from my time in the military from that point, and I did so. I served in two than four was with part of what was called Security Attachment now made mission was providing security and support for this train embassy and at that time it was outside the Green Zone, so we were moving the stuff and we didn't know
what the meetings were about. We just had to get them from ade to be and we were taking people, you know, from the airport down the most dangerous road in the world at the time, route Irish, into the Green zone, which was nuts. But we had everyone would wait for our vehicles to come and follow us in because our guys were so well drilled and what was so incredible. But you know, you saw a rockets like
with fifteen twenty rocket attacks a day. They'd use our building as an aiming point to get into the green zone, and all the coalition forces were When you first get there, you're diving for cover when you first hear it. Then after a while you realize which bombs were close to which ones weren't. Yeah, I look back now at what my kids are young, but you know, to get that experience at such a younger ages has such a formative, formative part of your life.
And always with you, I imagine.
Yeah, one hundred percent. So I did that and I was That was about five months on that trip. Then I was back and straight for three then I went again for nine nine more months.
And then going back over.
At the time and I look back on it now quite a bit. Actually, I didn't want to miss out because it was the first battle group deployment since Vietnam. Where to Second caval Regement, which I served with. We're deploying as part of the Amathono Task Group. Then we had a very different mission to what I did the first trip. It was providing security and to southern Iraq, so it was the threat level was very different. It was still dangerous, but very different. But everyone else was going.
I felt like I was missing out almost but because of my experience, I managed to get on. So I didn't want to be part and I ended up being part of the advanced party. But I still remember driving across and we were driving from Q eight into Iraq, and I'm driving back through the desert, like, what the bloody hell am I doing here? Again?
Like this is ridiculous. That's why I asked, because I sit there and go.
A lot of people would come back after their first apployment and they could go either way.
Yeah.
Well, I think Lauren was just touching on that. Does it ever leave you? And for you, you know, some of your worst experiences when you got home. Yeah, and your mates just tell us. I mean, it's so to it can be so to do. It shouldn't be taboo. But no suicide in the armed forces. You know, you've lost two of your great.
Mates and it's and I think that's why. And like you said, it is taboo, but it's unfortunately so common, and not just in the military, but I think in general life, but military instance a lot higher. But it's something that should be spoken about and Australian men in general, but particularly veterans are not great at asking for help, and that's sort of the message we're really trying to
push out. There's so many great services out there. So I did a lot of work with Bravery Trust as an example, which is how I got the opportunity for the nsach of Game and they provide and that's one of many organizations that's there to help. But the message I'd say to everyone, just pick up the phone. Nothing's that bad in LifeLock. Through some of those experiences in the military, you actually see people that have got absolute disadvantage.
They've had horrible upbringings that don't we don't sort of take for granted the privileged life we've got in Australia and they go through some difficulties but nothing stopping you're picking up a phone and calling you mate if you are having times that are down. And that's where I really struggled. I guess most it's the what ifs. So my first friend that took his own life, the immediate thing was what could I have done?
And it's not my fault, but that's so often the case, right It's the people that are left behind that feel like they're the ones who are who could have made a difference. Yeah, it's also it's not always the case, but there is so much that I think people aware of their own responsible to their mates.
Yeah, exactly, and that mayship never stops. So I still have soldiers will reach out now and this is twenty five years since I've been and they still call me boss, which is a don't I'm not your boss, and Jess like no.
But I imagine it is like a unique club that you're in and other people like for you to tell us these amazing stories. We can sort of imagine them, but we don't understand them, like return servicemen and women. So you are in this unique club where when you lean on those people, they're the ones who really get.
Yeah, and they're the ones that will look. There are mates now that I could call all and they would drop everything and would come, and just that loyalty that makeship it never stops because of that bond. You serve in really difficult times and this and Garthur's the CEO of Bravery Trust I served with and he's had a far more horrific experienced with than I did. But we often we spoke at Pete's funeral, but we're only getting together at funerals.
Yeah, terribly terrible.
And then and through those experiences, you see and you see some of your friends that some of the most professional and dedicated soldiers are really struggling with PT this day and other things through their service or things that have happened to them since they come back, and it just breaks your heart. And you know, some of them we've spoken to you that you might be aware of, and they've shared the struggles they've gone through another's happening.
Are the strongest of men.
And can I ask your advice? Just going into NXACT Day this weekend, a lot of people will be at RSLs. We say, you know, go and speak to servicemen and women.
What should we ask? How do what's the appropriate way for us to pay our respects?
Great question. I think it's just thank you for your service. And it's not just the veterans, it's their families as well, because the sacrifices that the families make is massive because they're losing their support network for their own families and dealing with the stress of everything. But just thank them for the service. And everyone has a different way of approaching it. But some people want to have a chat about it and will be really open. Others won't because
of their experiences, but you give them the opportunity. But if just saying thank you, it means so much because you often don't, particularly in Melbourn where there's not a big defense community, you don't hear it.
Yeah, it's really two part, isn't it. It's you know, remembering those that have fallen, but also celebrating and giving thanks for the service. Do you think we're as Australians can be better?
Yeah, I'd look better in many aspects of life. But I think it's a really good question around recognizing some of the skills for what military people can bring. Men and women that have served have got some really unique experiences. So if we go back to my own personal situation, like I was an armored Core commander, and there's not a lot of call for people that can manage a group of armed vehicles around the battlefeld in the corporate world. But I look at my personal like I was twenty
seven and in charge of about one hundred and fifty people. Wow, in a war zone, Like you just don't if you went through any other sort of career path, you're not going to get that level of experience, and that's where I've taken and there are many people like that, more specific skills, but just that ability to problem solve, deal with adversity, manage risk and issues. And I know and this is something probably the thing I've taken away most Like I always look back at the sort of work
I do now and people get flustered quite easily. Something's gone wrong. My god, no one's going to die. Just take a breath, let's solve the problem together. And that sort of calmness you can bring to some of those situations has been really available. And there's plenty of veterans in their families can bring similar experience, and that's something that's getting better recognition now, but it took a long time to sort of get that awareness across workforce.
ANZAC Day is a huge day on Saturday. But tonight you will be at the MCG and you have been asked to light the eternal flame at the ANZAC Eve game. It is I find the ANZAC Eve ceremony at the MCG one of the most moving five minutes of the year.
It's extraordinary. How are you feeling? Incredibly nervous? I don't have to do much except light the flame. But like you said, an absolute honor and it's not about mate, it's about the message for being the representative of all the veterans and their families past and present. To be able to do that, and I think it brings just
the silence they have that many people. Yeah, it's the one event, whether it's anzac Eve or the ends of day game that I've never been anywhere with that many people where they're actually truly focused and hear hear a pin drop and that is just an amazing thing. When you hear the bugle sound and it's just incredible. So I can't wait. It's great to be able to share it with family and friends.
I was about to stay. The family going to be there.
Yeah, I'm a little bit worried about my six year old and three year olds about making about them, which is a fair risk, but we'll see there we go.
Did your old man used to play for fitz Yeah, he.
Played Fitzroy so unfortunately didn't get the skill it he died.
But I was about to say first time running out on the j Yeah, first.
Time for me. I think I often give him grief because he didn't sign me up for him, so see membership.
Never forgive him for that, No, but no.
It was good even Yes, I had a great opportunity the Richmond players to share my story and they still remember the old man running around back in the day. But football has always been to be part of my life. You know, when dad came and he never is his claim to fame. I think he came fifth in the Brown Law in nineteen eighty as a centerf back, which is rare. No back whenever does well in the Brown Laws. We know became he wasn't invited, so they were freaking out and.
I'll get ready, you're going.
To come along. He didn't have a seat, I don't think, but then dropped off because he was injured the last few ends and he got his invite the day after in one, so he's never actually got to go. But yeah, it's always been a big part of it. And that's sort of one of the reasons I I always love
the leadership aspect of the team aspect foot. Yeah, and that's sort of one of the parallels that you can often draw, like just looking up, do your role, look after the person next to you, and it brings people together.
Which is which is why I think all those years ago, Kevin Sheety sort of came up with the concept of Anzac day footy because he could, in part see very a lot of similarities between the mate ship that you explored in Iraq for instance, and the matship that footballers share on a footy field as well.
Yeah, definitely, and I think that's where you see the great teams, as they'll do anything for their mate. It's just that strong culture says so much, and it's probably the thing I miss most about the military. There's that
team culture, like you'd spend so much time. It's not a twenty five, it's not a nine to five job, like it's twenty four seven through sixty five, So you spend so much time with each other so much, to the point I was quite happy getting back from someone performance and not spend time with an infigem the It is like you'll do anything for them, and you know, you often know these people better than what you know some of your family members because you're with them so
much and you do some really dumb things together.
But yeah, that we can relate to. Captain Jeremy Smith is joining us on the air. If you are heading along to the g tonight they ask you to be in your seats by six forty five.
It's a huge honor.
Congratulations on receiving it tonight, Thank you very much and most importantly, thank you for your service mate.
Thank you all. An absolute wanted to be able to share the story and be part of the vent tonight