Advertise on podcast: The Cove Podcast

LTCOL Paul Middleton from Headquarters 2nd Division joins The Cove to discuss the integration of counter-uncrewed aerial systems during Exercise Austral Shield 2026. The exercise saw JTF 629 take newly issued LAND 156 equipment and trained operators into a collective tactical environment, moving beyond classroom training to test the equipment, tactics and soldiers against a realistic UAS threat. The conversation explores what was learned, how quickly soldiers adapted, and why counter-UAS is increasingly about fieldcraft, dispersion, detection and tactical decision-making—not simply defeating drones with technology.

Captain Andrew Dunn-Lobban from the Land Combat College’s Remote and Autonomous Systems Cell joins The Cove to explore how drones and robotic systems are changing land warfare. Drawing on lessons from Ukraine and Army’s own experimentation, we discuss the emerging Drone Combat System, new training pathways, how drone teams may operate across the force, and what soldiers and junior commanders need to understand about fighting in an increasingly RAS-enabled battlespace.

Lieutenant Oliver Douglas talks with John Hardgrave on The Cove Podcast to discuss his experience serving with the Oxford University Officers’ Training Corps while studying as a Rhodes Scholar. Drawing on his time inside both the Australian and British Army systems, he explores the cultural differences between the two forces and explains how the British UOTC model gives young people a rapid, low-commitment introduction to military service. The episode considers whether a similar approach could strengthen Army recruitment, officer development and public understanding of service in Australia

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, John Hardgrave talks with Dr Aaron Pegram and Major Craig Foreman from Unrecovered War Casualties – Army explain the painstaking work involved in locating, recovering and identifying Australia’s missing service personnel. They discuss the historical research, forensic science and investigative expertise behind each case, before taking listeners inside the recent search in Korea for Corporal William Murphy, who has remained missing since the Battle of Kapyong in 1951.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, host John Hardgrave sits down with Jonathan Lane—a veteran, psychiatrist, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ first Chief Psychiatrist—to unpack the powerful intersection of military culture, identity, and mental health. Jon shares his unconventional journey from infantry soldier to senior clinician, including operational deployments and frontline experience in military psychiatry. The conversation explores how cultural conditioning in Defence shapes behaviour, identity, and purpose—and why this becomes critical during transition to civilian life. Drawing on both clinical expertise and lived experience, Jon highlights the gaps in traditional mental health approaches for veterans, the importance of peer-led models, and the role of shared experience in recovery. This episode offers a grounded, insider perspective on why understanding military culture is essential to supporting those who serve, both during and after their time in uniform.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, host John Hardgrave is joined by the Deputy Chief of Army to examine the return of positional warfare through the lens of Ukraine. The discussion explores reconnaissance-strike systems, drones, elastic defence, contested movement, sustainment, and the enduring requirement for soldiers to seize and hold ground. It also considers how these lessons may apply beyond Europe, including the implications for land, sea and littoral operations in Australia’s region.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, host John Hardgrave brings together AFL premiership player Alastair Lynch and Jonathan Lane for a powerful conversation on high performance, leadership, and life after structured environments. Drawing on Lynch’s experience with the Brisbane Lions and Lane’s clinical and military background, the discussion explores the shared DNA between elite sport and Defence. The episode examines what makes teams truly high-performing—clarity of roles, trust, accountability, and continuous feedback—while also unpacking how leadership has evolved from rigid, fear-based models to more adaptive, human-centred approaches. Together, they highlight the critical importance of understanding the individual behind the role to unlock collective success. A key focus is transition: the loss of structure, identity, and purpose when leaving sport or service. Lynch and Lane provide complementary perspectives on how these challenges manifest and how individuals can rebuild meaning and direction. This episode delivers practical insights for leaders, veterans, and anyone operating in high-performance environments.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, host John Hardgrave is joined by the Deputy Chief of Army to discuss The Soldier, Army’s new publication on the purpose and identity of the Australian soldier. The conversation examines why the publication was written now, what it says about Army’s core purpose, and why soldiers must be prepared honestly for the realities of war, violence, lawful killing, fear, fatigue, discipline and service. It also explores the distinction between being a soldier and a warrior, and the enduring importance of identity and belonging.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, John Hardgrave speaks with an Australian Army officer Mark Vele about his 12-month deployment on Operation ASLAN with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. The discussion explores the realities of preparing for a UN peacekeeping mission, working in a multinational headquarters, living and operating in Juba, and the personal and professional challenges of serving in a complex security environment far from home.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, we unpack a recent Reginal Combat Team (previously known as Rifle Company Butterworth) rotation through the perspectives of a soldier and an officer. They discuss how they were selected, the lead-up training and integration between reserve and full-time soldiers, and what it’s really like operating and living in Malaysia. It’s a practical look at the challenges, adaptations, and experiences that make RCT a unique and valuable Army deployment.

This episode of The Cove Podcast explores the unique career of an Army Reserve surgeon, tracing his journey from medical school to operational deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. He unpacks the realities of balancing a demanding civilian surgical career with military service, and the long pathway to becoming a specialist in both worlds. The conversation dives into the role of Defence health professionals beyond the operating theatre, highlighting leadership, teamwork, and decision-making in high-pressure environments. Listeners gain insight into trauma care on deployment, the importance of values and character in selection, and how the Army attracts and retains highly skilled medical personnel. It’s a candid look at service, sacrifice, and the pursuit of excellence that shows how medicine and soldiering intersect in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, we unpack the reality of a posting to the Defence Cooperation Programme in Papua New Guinea. Joined by Warrant Officer Dathan Rolfe, we explore what it means to operate in an environment where influence matters more than authority and relationships outweigh rank. From competing for the position and preparing family for an accompanied move to Port Moresby, through to the professional demands of advising the PNG Defence Force, this conversation highlights a side of service many soldiers never see. It’s not a warfighting deployment, but it is operationally significant, shaping regional stability, strengthening partnerships, and reinforcing Australia’s strategic interests in our near region. This episode is about career risk, professional growth, family commitment, and why PNG matters far more to Australian security than most realise.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, John Hardgrave sits down with a former Canadian Army Colonel who traded snow boots for a slouch hat and brought 26 years of coalition experience with him. From early service in the reserves as a bagpiper to deployments in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and later leading multinational warfighting seminars within Australia’s 1st Division, this conversation explores what happens when two professional armies—shaped by different histories, geographies, and cultures—collide in the best possible way. They unpack the Canadian Army’s identity forged at Vimy Ridge, its bilingual and multicultural foundations, Arctic operations and the Canadian Rangers, and how a “do more with less” mindset contrasts with Australia’s operational focus in the Indo-Pacific. Along the way, they discuss coalition warfare, sustainment, capability development, and the subtle but telling differences between militaries—from equipment procurement to wearing the slouch hat correctly. This episode is a practical and candid look at professional military culture, adaptability, and what junior and senior leaders alike can learn from operating across nations.

In this episode, we sit down with Sergeant John Welfare, winner of the 2025 Chief of Army Essay Competition and Chauvel Prize, to unpack his argument that the Australian Army must undergo a professional transformation if it is to remain relevant within the integrated force. Drawing on the story of Ignaz Semmelweis and the medical revolution of the 19th century, John challenges the Army to confront its institutional blind spots, rethink its expertise, and align its culture with external necessity rather than internal tradition. This is a conversation about jurisdiction, professional mastery, self-regulation and what it truly means to be a modern professional soldier.

In this episode of The Cove Podcast, John Hardgrave is joined by Major General Stephen Day, DSC AM, author of the ADF Leadership Doctrine, to explore leadership as a matter of character, not just competence. The conversation examines why moral courage, judgement, and self-awareness sit at the centre of leadership in the profession of arms, and how these principles apply whether leading ten people or ten thousand. Drawing on operational experience from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as national crisis leadership during Australia’s drought response, Major General Day reflects on command, followership, decision-making under pressure, and what the doctrine demands of leaders when it matters most.