These videos were produced to help promote a mental health counselling service for current and former members of the Defence community. It features former Defence personnel talking candidly about their mental health, trauma and PTSD, and re-integration into civilian life.
I will say without hyperbole that I consider these interviews among the defining moments of my media career. The people speaking here all served in conflict zones and the time I spent with them profoundly influenced my perspective on several things in life.
These videos were produced for a veterans’ organisation called Operation Compass. They were delivered by On the Line, the provider behind mental health counselling services like MensLine Australia, Suicide Line Victoria, Suicide Call Back Service and many others.
I was On the Line’s Content Manager when these videos were produced. I worked with a professional video crew, sourced the participants, co-wrote the script and personally interviewed two of the three subjects. I oversaw the budget, general production and logistics duties, and also wrote and uploaded the meta data and accompanying on-page content.
Lachie is an Afghanistan infantry veteran. He speaks about managing PTSD and re-integrating into civilian life.
Alex is an RAAF veteran. Deployed as a medic, she speaks about managing depression, anxiet and PTSD.
Col is a World War II veteran from the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion. After serving in the Middle East he and much of his unit were made prisoners of war under the Japanese. He laboured for several years on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway line. Col speaks about re-integrating into civilian life and why talking about it is important.
This video introduces the service by combining elements from all three interviews. It featured on the main landing page.