Veterans, leadership and returning home, with former commando Heston Russell

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by Heston Russell – a public speaker, author and former Australian Special Forces officer – to discuss the 2025 Veteran Games and the recent regional heat held in Darwin on 22 August and later this year on the Gold Coast (11 and 12 October).

Russell has previously served in 2nd Commando Regiment as a Commando Platoon commander, was deployed to four combat operational deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, served in Iraq as a Special Operations joint lead planner within the Special Operations Joint Task Force and completed a year-long exchange within the United States Special Operations Command. He holds a bachelor of arts from the University of NSW, majoring in history and Indonesian. The pair discuss a range of issues, including:

• The Veteran Games, veterans support services and why Russell founded the games in 2022 in response to findings from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
• Returning home and the reality of living in Australia as a military veteran, the challenges associated with reacclimatising to civilian life and how the defence industry can help veterans return with life of purpose outside the Australian Defence Force.
• Russell’s own experience navigating media scrutiny after service and his recommendations to other veterans in their interactions with journalists.
• His experience as a young veteran in relation to traditional support associations in Australia. The pair also look at whether these organisations have the draw and support needed to attract younger veterans.

The podcast wraps up by discussing the need to improve Australian leadership, take a bigger role in peacekeeping operations and how Australia can be a force for good in peacekeeping across the globe. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Team