Ben first met Lee Goddard on the high seas, chasing North Korean drug smugglers. Tim’s history with Lee goes back a bit further – to his very first days in the military as a young cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy, where Lee was the Academy Cadet Captain.
Since graduating from ADFA, Lee has excelled in pretty much endeavour he has turned his hand to, from crewing the tall ship, The Young Endeavour, through to command of warships on operations in places like the South China Sea and the Persian Gulf, and then to running the entire Maritime Border Command.
After 34 years in the Royal Australian Navy, Lee concluded his fulltime military service as a rear admiral and has now transitioned out of the military and is working within Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation.
We talk life onboard a Navy warship and leadership challenges as well as 'pranging' a ship.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
05:15 Lee’s early life and inspiration to join the Navy – including this stirring recruiting commercial!
08:00 Ben asks the dumb question – does Lee get seasick?! (Spoiler alert – Ben does)
09:40 What has Lee been able to take from his military service and apply in his current role?
12:00 Lee’s favourite ‘Navy moments’...
16:00 ...including going from looking in awe at the Captain of a ship – to being one!
17:30 Lee’s time on the Young Endeavour, including reflections on the amazing young Australians he worked with, and a number of serious incidents
23:45 What’s life like on board a warship?
26:30 The attachment that crews get to their ships
28:45 Lee’s recollection of the Pong Su boarding – from the bridge as XO of the HMAS Stuart
34:00 One of Lee’s more interesting jobs as ship’s XO – hotel manager!
37:00 Lee’s command of the HMAS Parramatta and winning the Duke of Gloucester Cup for the best performing ship – literally, the ‘Pride of the Fleet!’
40:45 Lee’s reflections on ‘the other side of Lake Burley-Griffin’ – his time within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
43:10 Lee then served as Commander of Maritime Border Command and Operation Sovereign Borders
46:50 The most important question Ben can think of – has Lee ever crashed a ship?! Including Lee’s reflections of the pressure of trying to reverse parallel park a warship in Sydney Harbour!
49:00 Lee’s post-military role with the Minderoo Foundation, including his role in addressing community resilience against natural disasters
54:00 What makes a resilient community? Minderoo’s perspective
57:45 What is Lee most proud of? In short, not what he achieved, but how he achieved it
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External Links
Music
The Externals – available on Spotify
Ben Frichot - available on Spotify
Mitchell Martin - available on Spotify
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S5E8 – Riana Crehan ‘Suffers Well’; From Supercars to SAS Australia
S5E7 – MAJGEN Justin “Jake” Ellwood DSC AM CSC – On Running (an Army Division, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority….and in general!)
S5E6 – Dr. Luana Main – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of stress and (over)training
@RV31 - Reconciliation, Travel and Reflections on Guests
S5E5 – Rachel Vickery “Don’t Fix Broken – Create Awesome”
S5E4– Creativity Builds Resilience: Artists in Foxholes @fova.org.au
S5E3– Ian Prior: How Professional Athletes Stay In the Arena
S5E2– Dr Rob Barbour: SAS Doctor Out of Africa
S5E1B – Jaz Diab – Special Forces Nuclear Scientist, Nerd and Mum! Part B
S5E1A – Jaz Diab: Special Forces Nuclear Scientist, Nerd and Mum! Part A
@RV30 – The Season 5 Kick Off
Season 5- We are (ALL) back on the cans
Season 5 - And We're Back!
Special Episode- Vale Tim Robertson: Forever the Chronic Overachiever
@RV29 – Events and Reflections: The Year in Review
S4E21- Ben and Tim on the Golds Gym Podcast
S4E20 – Senator David Van – Politics and Conflict, at home and abroad
S4E19 – Brad McIlroy: Beyond the Bali Bombing
S4E18 – Associate Professor Justine Gatt: Providing a COMPAS to navigate wellbeing and resilience
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