Dedicated to front line personnel, first responders, and those who keep us safe and alive. George Lee Sye digs into the stories of those who've been there and done it and finds out how they've dealt with some of the difficult situations that most will never be exposed to.
Damian Irvine - Police Veteran, Special Operations, SERT Leadership, Mental Health
DAMIAN IRVINE is a police veteran with 41 years of service. In this episode, George and Damian had an in-depth conversation about Damian's career in law enforcement, including his experiences with operational challenges, and career progression through various police roles. Damian shared insights about managing high-performing units, transitioning between specialised and general duties, and his approachable leadership style that emphasised human connection and mental health awareness. They discussed the evolution of police units like SERT, the importance of mentorship and career development, and concluded with updates about ongoing operational challenges for police.
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This podcast is proudly made possible by the BE THE VOICE Book - details can be found on amazon:
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/)
USA - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645718211/
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/)
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AUDIO
The music on this podcast is used under license from Artlist - License Number 248442
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TAGS
#bethevoice #ptsd #posttrauma #criticalincident #mentalhealth #policeveteran
CLEVE SALMON is a police veteran from Victoria, Australia. He is the founder of TJF | The Journey Forward, an organisation that began as a blog and way for Cleve to deal with the trauma of policing work through writing. It has now evolved into something much bigger, becoming a powerful community that is doing amazing work to help emergency service / front line workers deal with the effects of some of the most difficult jobs in our society.
In this episode, Cleve shared his journey in law enforcement, including his experiences with PTSD and mental health challenges, while emphasising the importance of seeking help early and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The conversation covered the evolution of TJF into a successful support organisation, their approach to mental health support, and the social activities that their community participants are involved in.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about TJF | The Journey Forward, you can visit the website and social media pages:
Web - https://www.tjf.au/ (https://www.tjf.au/)
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tangojulietfoxtrot.tjf (https://www.facebook.com/tangojulietfoxtrot.tjf)
You can also support them through the purchase of shirts and other branded merchandise.
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This podcast is proudly made possible by the BE THE VOICE Book - details can be found on amazon:
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/)
USA - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645718211/
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/)
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AUDIO
The music on this podcast is used under license from Artlist - License Number 248442
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TAGS
#bethevoice #ptsd #posttrauma #criticalincident #mentalhealth #tjf #thejourneyforward
15 Oct 2025
Adrian Casey - Police Veteran, Undercover and Rural Policing, PTSD and Mental Health
ADRIAN CASEY is a police veteran with a long and distinguished career here in Australia. His 35 years of experience includes uniform work, rural policing in one officer stations, undercover activities, criminal investigation and other forms of investigative work. He has stories to tell that are the stuff of movies. His experience is also a credible basis from which to give sound advice to other front line workers on how to approach this type of work from a mental health perspective.
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This podcast is sponsored by the BE THE VOICE Book - details can be found on amazon:
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/)
USA - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645718211/
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/)
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AUDIO
The music on this podcast is used under license from Artlist - License Number 248442
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TAGS
#bethevoice #ptsd #posttrauma #criticalincident #mentalhealth
4 Oct 2025
Dave Raymond - Operational Policing, Dog Squad, Police Dog Handling, Mental Health, Vader
DAVE RAYMOND BM APM is recently retired police officer with a distinguished career of 36 years. He is a decorated officer recognised for his bravery and recipient of numerous awards including Australian Bravery medal, QPS Valour Award, Australian Police medal, Commendation for Brave Conduct, Meritorious Service Medal and a range of other commendations.
George and Dave engaged in a detailed discussion about their experiences in law enforcement, including the challenges faced by police officers, the evolution of policing practices, and the impact of social media on public perception. They shared personal stories from their careers, covering topics such as their initial training, operational experiences, and the importance of maintaining professional relationships and support systems. The conversation concluded with discussions about Dave's recent book titled VADER and potential future collaborations, including plans for publishing and podcasting.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about Dave's book you can visit the publisher’s website here - https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/vader/ (https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/vader/) - you can also buy copies from all good book stores and Amazon books.
This podcast is brought to you by the BE THE VOICE Book - details can be found on amazon:
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/)
USA - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645718211/
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/)
AUDIO
The music on this podcast is used under license from Artlist - License Number 248442
TAGS
#bethevoice #ptsd #posttrauma #criticalincident #mentalhealth #vader #davidraymond
9 Jul 2025
Keith Banks - Police Veterans, Post Traumatic Stress, Mental Fitness, Mental Health
KEITH BANKS is best selling author of the books titled Gun to the Head and Drugs, Guns and Lies. Keith is also one of Queensland’s most decorated police officers with a twenty year career in the QPS. Today he is a highly regarded keynote speaker and mental health advocate.
In this episode we spoke about his role with the Police Veterans of Victoria association and work as a peer support, and also chatted about a range of topics connected to the theme of mental health and post traumatic stress including developing mental fitness before you need it, the importance of physical effort and the emergence of AI.
For more information about Keith’s work and access to his books, visit his website:
https://keithbanks.com.au/ (https://keithbanks.com.au/)
THIS PODCAST
This podcast was intended to give insights into the lives of front line workers who have walked the miles and carried the weight of the past with them. Through their stories we hope to be able to positively influence others from all walks of life who are also dealing with post traumatic stress.
Please share this.
MADE POSSIBLE BY
This podcast is made possible by the BE THE VOICE Book which is used to fund this work. Details can be found on amazon:
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645718211/)
USA - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645718211/
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645718211/)
AUDIO
The music on this podcast is used under license from Artlist - License Number 248442
TAGS
#bethevoice #ptsd #posttrauma #posttraumaticsrress #criticalincident #mentalhealth
8 Jul 2025
Dale ‘Zulu’ Weightman - Policing, Undercover, Special Operations, Post Traumatic Stress
Former Queensland Police Officer Dale 'Zulu' Weightman recounts his career in criminal intelligence, undercover work, and special operations, discussing his experiences with post-traumatic stress in this interview with George.
13 May 2025
Don McKay - Surviving Cancer, Resilience
Police officer DON MCKAY recounts his cancer survival journey, detailing chemotherapy, mindset, and reconnection, in an interview about resilience.
12 May 2025
Keith Banks - Gun to the Head, Tactical Operations, PTSD
Keith Banks discusses his tactical operations experiences, including Operation Flashdance, and his journey through PTSD with George Lee Sye, highlighting his contribution to mental health through writing in this interview.
12 May 2025
Cassandra Alexander RN - Year of the Nurse, COVID Nursing, PTSD
Cassandra Alexander RN discusses her experiences as a COVID-19 ward nurse and the impact on nurses' mental health, including PTSD, in an interview with George Lee Sye.
12 May 2025
Keith Banks - Drugs Guns Lies, Life Undercover, Dealing with PTSD
Author Keith Banks discusses his experiences as an undercover cop during a corrupt period in Queensland's history and how he dealt with PTSD in an interview with George.
12 May 2025
George Lee Sye - Be The Voice Podcast and Book
Host GEORGE LEE SYE introduces the Be The Voice podcast and book, explaining their purpose and the meaning behind the name in this introductory episode.
Who has been a guest on Be The Voice Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dale 'Zulu' Weightman
DON MCKAY
Keith Banks
Cassandra Alexander
Podcast Authority Score: 18 / 100
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