The Reorg Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Steve served 27  years in the Parachute Regiment, starting his career in 3 PARA before passing the selection process for the Pathfinders. PF. 

Steve deployed to NI, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Steve ended his service as the rank of Sergeant Major. 

During the episode we talk about his deployments, P'Company and the PF selection. But we also go into the demons he faced later on and it still facing today.

Steve has also published three books, 'You'd be nuts too', 'Don't Ask' and 'Meatheads'.

You can find Steve 

https://www.instagram.com/4orce_of_nature/?hl=en-gb

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B091ZKNBGQ?_encoding=UTF8&node=492564011&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default

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In this episode I speak to Ash, host of Blue Pigment Podcast.  Ash is a serving Paratrooper, 18 year Colour Sergeant.

During the episode we talk about why Ash started his podcast, trying to build a platform for serving military personnel and veterans to come on and show their creative side.

He is doing a great job in breaking that stigma and showing that there is more than bombs and bullets to the miliatry.

You can find Ash on

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3BGztvxCB4wRbNT7Lv0WJA

https://bluepigment.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/blue_pigment_podcast/

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Steve served with 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment , US Army.  During the episode, Steve gives an insight into the arduous training needed to make it through 75th Ranger Regiment training. We also go on to talk about his four deployments to Afghanistan, in which we go into depth about the first time he was in a firefight. We then discuss the time he left the military and the struggles he faced, the same struggles that so many people can relate to. He goes on to share that finding a purpose in what you do is what helped him through those difficult times, something many veterans struggle with.. As always, follow me https://www.instagram.com/thereorgpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/thereorgpodcast/ thereorgpodcast@gmail.com

Now Andrew's career is a different one than mosts’. Andrew first joined as an officer in 1989. He joined the Fusiliers and first deployed to Northern Ireland, in which he was privy to several incidents with the IRA. We talk about that and how his tours of Bosnia helped him make up his mind in which direction he wanted his career to take. After a few years working towards his goals, even essentially being homeless in the pursuit, he finally joined back up as a Padre for the Royal Marines. Andrew then deployed with 40 Commando on Herrick 12. He is now apart of an initiative called, ‘Fusiliers V Suicide’, which is a group of Senior veterans working to eradicate suicide from the fusilier family. Hopefully many more similar initiatives can start from many other units and hopefully, together, we can defeat suicide within the veteran community. You can watch the video below, I will add the website to this when it is up and running. https://fb.watch/2ZhvG5d_WS/ www.samaritans.org  As always, follow me https://www.instagram.com/thereorgpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/thereorgpodcast/ thereorgpodcast@gmail.com

Matt served 20 years as an officer, 16 years with the Devonshire and Dorest Regiment and his final 4 with the Rifles.

Matt served overseas in Northern Ireland, 3 times, in which his first tour was before the cease fire and the first time he experienced combat. He then later served in Sierra Leone and then two tours of Iraq, in which his 2nd tour he was OC of A Coy D&D's. He also served in Afghanistan.

Whilst an OC in Iraq, Matt talks about the mental health challenges he faced and the situations he had to deal with as the Officer Commanding.

We also talk about how he felt when the D&D's were disbanded and amalgamated into the Rifles, in which I am sure it is a common feeling when units are disbanded.

We talk about 

https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/get-support/mental-health-and-wellbeing/hidden-wounds-service/

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This episode I talk to Major Stu Nicholson, who served with both the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and The Poachers, Royal Anglian Regiment. We talk about his time as a young commander and then go into his time as an OC whilst serving overseas in Iraq and seeing combat for the first time, 11 years into his career. We also discuss time as OC at Brecon for the Platoon Sergeants Battle course as well helping me learn more about an officers career path. As always, follow me https://www.instagram.com/thereorgpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/thereorgpodcast/ thereorgpodcast@gmail.com

Martyn served in The Coldstream Guards, deploying overseas to Afghanistan in 2007/08. We talk about his habit of soiling himself to how his tour was for him. We also go into how he witnessed first hand a suicide whilst in training to then his best mate, Parky, taking his own life, and the guilt that has riddled Martyn for years. 

This was my first Skye episode and we experienced a few technical issues and the quality is not tip top but hang in there. 

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This episode I have Andy Barlow on as a guest. Andy served in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, deploying to Northen Ireland and Afghanistan.  In September 2006, whilst deployed with 3 Para, Andy was involved in the Kajaki Mine incident, which injured 7 men, including Andy and took the life of Mark Wright. Andy was awarded the George Medal for his actions that day.  We go into this but also the struggles he faced after losing his leg and the road to recovery. We also discuss his ventures into sailing and skiing as well as the work he now does with Blesma.  The Charities and Organisations discussed in this episode are:  Blesma - https://blesma.org/ Veterans Outreach Support - https://www.vosuk.org/ https://www.facebook.com/veteransoutreachsupport/ TILS - Transition Intervention Liaison Service - https://www.veteransservicelse.nhs.uk/ Big White Wall (Togetherall) - https://togetherall.com/en-gb/ Veterans Gateway - https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/veteransgateway/ Help for Heroes - Hidden Wounds - https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/get-support/mental-health-and-wellbeing/hidden-wounds-service/ As always, follow me https://www.instagram.com/thereorgpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/thereorgpodcast/ thereorgpodcast@gmail.com

Danny served as s Section Commander in The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, where he served in Northen Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. We go into how his combat experience was and also how it was not being able to deploy with his Company, due to him being an instructor at Catterick. Kiwi then went on to work in the CP circuit overseas for several years and now does amazing work in the UK working with children in the care system. 

Charities mentioned 

Defence Medical Welfare Service

https://dmws.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/DefenceMedicalWelfareService/

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Captain John McCowliff is a Late Entry officer currently serving as the Welfare Officer in The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.  We talk about his experinces throughout his career dating back to 1997. Like every position John has held in the army, he is currently working towards leaving his mark. Even though John has had a long and distinguished career, he has also had some challenges along the way which we discuss... 

Charities and organisations spoken about; 

https://thefusiliers.org/the-fusilier-aid-society/

https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

https://www.samaritans.org/

https://www.justgiving.com/fusiliersaidsociety?fbclid=IwAR3sUaLqwsn9aRy_oP8YfcCdZIi8orgHj5-3CzvO_2doMql0y1EAiBgQKZc

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/first-fusiliers-cpl-green-crossfit-challenge?fbclid=IwAR1gnpyortYBlvCPfeWpijbZLxg-E_-sMw957Ucr2Np39g1bF2X5EyqB9VU

As always, follow me

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thereorgpodcast@gmail.com