This episode is a special one, and it drops the day before our 50K Day challenge.Meet Brooke Derksen, the woman behind CREW Apparel & Print, a proud supporter of 5 With A Digger since episode two.Brooke is a mum, grandmother, small-business owner and a passionate advocate for veterans and their families. When her husband Adam was made redundant, she threw herself into learning the support system while they were living on food vouchers, struggling to pay rent and trying to hold things together as a family.Brooke kept pushing until she found help. Then she used what she’d learned to support other veterans and families too.In this episode, we talk honestly about life beside a veteran living with service-related PTSD, the toll that can take on a partner, and why families need to be part of the conversation. We also talk motherhood, grief, mental health, finding your identity again and building a business with heart.CREW’s motto is “Looking After You & Your Crew” and Brooke lives that in the way she backs her people and our veteran community.https://www.crewapparelprint.com.auhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560638277626https://www.instagram.com/crewapparelprint/I’M TAKING ON THE BRAVERY TREK! This October, I’ll be putting in the kilometres for a cause that means a hell of a lot to me — supporting Australian veterans and their families. I’ve joined the Bravery Trek to raise funds for Bravery Trust, helping veterans and their families who are facing financial hardship.The funds raised help provide immediate financial assistance, veteran-specific financial counselling and education giving people the support they need to regain stability before hardship becomes crisis. Through 5 With A Digger, I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of so many veterans and their families, so this is another way I can get behind the community and hopefully make a difference.And you don’t just have to donate; you can join the team! Jump on board, clock up your own kilometres throughout October and combine them with ours as a team. Whether it’s walking, running or just getting out there and moving, every kilometre adds up.Donate to the campaign. Join our team. Clock up your kilometres. Support our veteran community. Let’s see how many kilometres we can knock over together this October!Donate or join the team here:https://braverytrek.com.au/jesse-hobsonThe Bravery Trek finishes with our 50K Day on Friday 30 October: a big walk-and-run from Noosa to Mooloolaba. You can join us for a leg, and we’ll share the starting and finishing locations closer to the day. Every bit of support helps raise funds for Bravery Trust and the veterans and families they support.It’ll Take A Tribe Community Food Bank Open - FacebookFind us on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook InstagramThis podcast proudly sponsored by Gravel Empire Holdings - InstagramCuzkell – InstagramElite Boxing Club Adelaide - InstagramMerch available CREW Apparel & Print | Shop Custom Apparel NowLike. Subscribe. Tell your mates.YOU'RE NEVER ALONE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on 5 With A Digger, we’re joined by Greg for a powerful conversation about military service, life after Defence, advocacy, and the personal experiences that led him to support others.Greg joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1998 as an Airfield Defence Guard and served until 2024. His service included deployments to East Timor, Iraq, Qatar and Afghanistan, domestic operations including Christmas Island and flood relief, and more than four years as a Human Intelligence source operator.Since leaving Defence, he’s continued working in Iraq as a private contractor. He also founded Outpost Advocacy, supporting veterans and their families with claims and ongoing help, and Frannkly Roasted, which supports veterans and their families.This work is personal. In 2017, Greg’s mum, Anna Jenkins, was abducted and murdered while holidaying in Penang, Malaysia. In 2020, he found her remains at a construction site. He shares how that loss has shaped the work he does today.https://outpostadvocacy.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579210770928https://www.instagram.com/outpost.advocacy/I’M TAKING ON THE BRAVERY TREK! This October, I’ll be putting in the kilometres for a cause that means a hell of a lot to me — supporting Australian veterans and their families. I’ve joined the Bravery Trek to raise funds for Bravery Trust, helping veterans and their families who are facing financial hardship.The funds raised help provide immediate financial assistance, veteran-specific financial counselling and education giving people the support they need to regain stability before hardship becomes crisis. Through 5 With A Digger, I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of so many veterans and their families, so this is another way I can get behind the community and hopefully make a difference.And you don’t just have to donate; you can join the team! Jump on board, clock up your own kilometres throughout October and combine them with ours as a team. Whether it’s walking, running or just getting out there and moving, every kilometre adds up.Donate to the campaign. Join our team. Clock up your kilometres. Support our veteran community. Let’s see how many kilometres we can knock over together this October!Donate or join the team here:https://braverytrek.com.au/jesse-hobsonThe Bravery Trek finishes with our 50K Day on Friday 30 October: a big walk-and-run from Noosa to Mooloolaba. You can join us for a leg, and we’ll share the starting and finishing locations closer to the day. Every bit of support helps raise funds for Bravery Trust and the veterans and families they support.Give the episode a listen, and if you can, get involved in the walk or donate to the trek.It’ll Take A Tribe Community Food Bank Open - FacebookFind us on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook InstagramThis podcast proudly sponsored by Gravel Empire Holdings - InstagramCuzkell – InstagramElite Boxing Club Adelaide - InstagramMerch available CREW Apparel & Print | Shop Custom Apparel NowLike. Subscribe. Tell your mates.YOU'RE NEVER ALONE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m joined by Glenn to hear about his time in the Australian Army Reserves. Glenn enlisted in 1995, completed infantry basic training at Holsworthy Barracks, then requested a posting to 176 Air Dispatch at Richmond Air Base. We chat about his years there, what Army life was like and his transition into life after Defence.We also cross over to Dan from Documeant Cycling, who’s backed the Bravery Trek with a generous $250 donation from the sale of a bike. Huge thanks to Dan for getting behind the cause! www.youtube.com/@DOCUMEANT_CYCLINGThe Bravery Trek finishes with our 50K Day on Friday 30 October: a big walk-and-run from Noosa to Mooloolaba. You can join us for a leg, and we’ll share the starting and finishing locations closer to the day. Every bit of support helps raise funds for Bravery Trust and the veterans and families they support.Give the episode a listen, and if you can, get involved in the walk or donate to the trek.I’M TAKING ON THE BRAVERY TREK! This October, I’ll be putting in the kilometres for a cause that means a hell of a lot to me — supporting Australian veterans and their families. I’ve joined the Bravery Trek to raise funds for Bravery Trust, helping veterans and their families who are facing financial hardship.The funds raised help provide immediate financial assistance, veteran-specific financial counselling and education giving people the support they need to regain stability before hardship becomes crisis. Through 5 With A Digger, I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of so many veterans and their families, so this is another way I can get behind the community and hopefully make a difference.And you don’t just have to donate; you can join the team! Jump on board, clock up your own kilometres throughout October and combine them with ours as a team. Whether it’s walking, running or just getting out there and moving, every kilometre adds up.Donate to the campaign. Join our team. Clock up your kilometres. Support our veteran community. Let’s see how many kilometres we can knock over together this October!Donate or join the team here:https://braverytrek.com.au/jesse-hobsonIt’ll Take A Tribe Community Food Bank Open - FacebookFind us on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook InstagramThis podcast proudly sponsored by Gravel Empire Holdings - InstagramCuzkell – InstagramElite Boxing Club Adelaide - InstagramMerch available CREW Apparel & Print | Shop Custom Apparel NowLike. Subscribe. Tell your mates.YOU'RE NEVER ALONE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are part of a special podcast collaboration with the crew from Tiny Tales Podcast for an honest, energetic yarn about how I got started in podcasting, what sparked my interest, and how 5 With A Digger and Digger Network Media came to life.We dive into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making a podcast, the lessons I’ve picked up along the way, and where I’d like to take things next. I’ve been lucky to help Tiny Tales get off the ground with editing and production, so it was great to jump behind the microphone and share the story.Tune in for the real story behind the shows, plenty of podcasting insights, and a look at what happens before the episode ever reaches your ears. A big thanks to Tiny Tales for having me on and for the support.This week we are part of a special podcast collaboration with the crew from Tiny Tales Podcast for an honest, energetic yarn about how I got started in podcasting, what sparked my interest, and how 5 With A Digger and Digger Network Media came to life.We dive into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making a podcast, the lessons I’ve picked up along the way, and where I’d like to take things next. I’ve been lucky to help Tiny Tales get off the ground with editing and production, so it was great to jump behind the microphone and share the story.Tune in for the real story behind the shows, plenty of podcasting insights, and a look at what happens before the episode ever reaches your ears. A big thanks to Tiny Tales for having me on and for the support.https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577493161387https://www.instagram.com/tiny_tales_podcast/I’M TAKING ON THE BRAVERY TREK! This October, I’ll be putting in the kilometres for a cause that means a hell of a lot to me — supporting Australian veterans and their families. I’ve joined the Bravery Trek to raise funds for Bravery Trust, helping veterans and their families who are facing financial hardship.The funds raised help provide immediate financial assistance, veteran-specific financial counselling and education giving people the support they need to regain stability before hardship becomes crisis. Through 5 With A Digger, I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of so many veterans and their families, so this is another way I can get behind the community and hopefully make a difference.And you don’t just have to donate; you can join the team! Jump on board, clock up your own kilometres throughout October and combine them with ours as a team. Whether it’s walking, running or just getting out there and moving, every kilometre adds up.Donate to the campaign. Join our team. Clock up your kilometres. Support our veteran community. Let’s see how many kilometres we can knock over together this October!Donate or join the team here:https://braverytrek.com.au/jesse-hobsonIt’ll Take A Tribe Community Food Bank Open - FacebookFind us on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook InstagramThis podcast proudly sponsored by Gravel Empire Holdings - InstagramCuzkell – InstagramElite Boxing Club Adelaide - InstagramMerch available CREW Apparel & Print | Shop Custom Apparel NowLike. Subscribe. Tell your mates.YOU'RE NEVER ALONE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Ross returns for Part Two of his conversation with 5 With A Digger.We pick up Steve’s story as he prepares for his second overseas deployment, this time serving in Sierra Leone as a United Nations military observer.Steve shares what that role involved, the challenges of operating in a multinational environment and how Sierra Leone differed from everything he had previously experienced.We then explore his decision to leave the New Zealand Army after almost 17 years of service, his move to Australia in 2013 and the challenge of building a new life beyond the uniform.But Steve’s commitment to service didn’t end when his military career did.Today, he is a member of Queensland Remote Area Tracking (QRAT) a predominantly veteran group providing advanced remote-area tracking and search-and-rescue capabilities.We unpack the art of tracking, the details most people would walk straight past and how veterans can use their military skills, experience and teamwork to find a renewed sense of purpose after service.I’M TAKING ON THE BRAVERY TREK! This October, I’ll be putting in the kilometres for a cause that means a hell of a lot to me — supporting Australian veterans and their families. I’ve joined the Bravery Trek to raise funds for Bravery Trust, helping veterans and their families who are facing financial hardship.The funds raised help provide immediate financial assistance, veteran-specific financial counselling and education giving people the support they need to regain stability before hardship becomes crisis. Through 5 With A Digger, I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of so many veterans and their families, so this is another way I can get behind the community and hopefully make a difference.And you don’t just have to donate; you can join the team! Jump on board, clock up your own kilometres throughout October and combine them with ours as a team. Whether it’s walking, running or just getting out there and moving, every kilometre adds up.Donate to the campaign. Join our team. Clock up your kilometres. Support our veteran community. Let’s see how many kilometres we can knock over together this October!Donate or join the team here:https://braverytrek.com.au/jesse-hobsonIt’ll Take A Tribe Community Food Bank Open - FacebookFind us on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook InstagramThis podcast proudly sponsored by Gravel Empire Holdings - InstagramCuzkell – InstagramElite Boxing Club Adelaide - InstagramMerch available CREW Apparel & Print | Shop Custom Apparel NowLike. Subscribe. Tell your mates.YOU'RE NEVER ALONE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.