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A Guide for Defence Families and Veterans Dr Lise Legault, MD, FRACGP If you've been feeling unlike yourself lately, you're not alone. In Australia, around 1.5 million women are navigating perimenopause or menopause at any given time. For defence families and veterans, where the demands of service, frequent relocations, deployments, and the transition to civilian life already take a toll, understanding this change can make a real difference. What is perimenopause and menopaus

I posted to the NT in 2022 - a new chapter and a fresh start. Being on my own, I quickly realised how lonely and isolating it could be, and I was determined to get a dog for companionship. However, I soon learned that work life can make full-time pet ownership difficult, particularly when frequent travel is involved. The accommodation I was living in also wasn’t suitable for animals on a long-term basis. That’s when I began looking into volunteering and fostering, a decision

Our family's journey in the Australian Defence Force has been both exciting and challenging. Like many young women, I met and married my soldier in my hometown of Townsville, and our first posting with a 6-month-old baby boy was to Seymour, Victoria. We were lucky that our posting was to Greytown (a non-corps posting), which basically meant a 7-4 work life. With no family support, I took myself to the local Defence Community Centre for playgroup where I met other defence wi

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had music that reflected contemporary military service, as well as commemorating what happened in the past?”. This was the topic of conversation on Anzac Day 2023 in Newcastle, NSW, that sowed the seed for creating music that honours historical service while being relevant to currently serving ADF members and their families. Standing on the Shoulders was written in a flurry of inspiration after Anzac Day 2023, with the words and music seemin

As the wife of an ADF member, Jan Purcell has focused on her love of illustrating while exploring the country. We stumbled across Jan’s amazing talent on social media, and we’re excited to share her story! When did you start illustrating? I loved drawing from a young age. This passion for art led me to study interior architecture at university, where I honed my ability to draw in granular detail. When I first met my husband, I had no connection or real understanding of th

The Top Ender had the opportunity to catch up with Leading Seaman Rebecca Churches from the Young Endeavour during a recent visit to the Top End! We had some questions for Rebecca to celebrate International Women's Day and her amazing adventures within defence. How long have you been in the Navy? 7 ½ years. How long have you been posted to The Young Endeavour? 1 ½ years. Why did you decide to enlist into the Navy? To explore a world outside of my hometown, to challeng

Interview with Bron Millins - from RAFF Cook to Dog Handler Photo: Katja Lehnert of Canines by Katja 2026 Why did you originally enlist into the Air Force? From an early age, I had two career aspirations: to become a professional golfer or to join the Air Force. I come from a family with a strong Air Force background, so it was always on my radar to enlist. I was fortunate enough to achieve my first goal and spent four years competing on tour as a professional golfer. After c

PLEASE BRIEFLY EXPLAIN YOUR MILITARY BACKGROUND: I joined the Air Force in March 2004 when I was18 years old. I initially joined as a Clerk Supplier with my first posting being to Newcastle NSW. After four years pf service, the Clerk Supply mustering ended, and I had a choice between Supply or Movements. I chose Movements and was posted to Townsville QLD as a Corporal. In my full-time career, I was deployed three times to the Middle East Area of Operations (two times as a Cle

To celebrate International Women's Day, we speak with Lieutenant Grace Neuhaus about her recent experience racing the Mongol Derby

We recently connected with Lorraine Hatton OAM, who has forged an incredible career in the ADF and continues to drive change for Indigenous

We spoke with Elaine Egan about her time in the military and how she balanced her career with motherhood.

We spent some time with Liz Cosson AM CSC this month, discussing her Military career of over 31 years, her time with DVA and IWD.