The truth [is] none. The crewmen never once made me feel as though I was an outsider or special for being female. But I wasn’t a trailblazer either, there were crew gals before me, and plenty came after me and will continue to do so.” Starting from such a young age, Liz reflected on where it all started, going with her brother to his BARB test. BARB stands for British Army Recruit Battery and is a computer-based psychometric test someone must take before they can serve in the Army, to decide if they are suitable.

Chinook crew ‘chick’ Liz McConaghy on PTSD and military life Chinook crew ‘chick’ Liz McConaghy on PTSD and military life

And I never not wanted to go and if I hadn’t gone, it meant somebody else had to go in my place. Somebody else [who] had to do an extra one or one of the new guys who wasn’t combat ready had to go instead when he wasn’t quite ready to go. I was always really worried that someone would have to take my bullet, you feel like if you don’t go, what if something happens and I’m meant to be there and I’m not? That kind of kept me in the job, certainly for those ten years. “ Aged 21, Liz was the youngest member of the aircrew to deploy to Iraq and the only female crew member on the Chinook wing for four years, so her story is entirely unique. Yes, I have,” she said. “Having had the book come out [all her mental health challenges are] now completely out in the world. And the more I’m talking about it, the more it is genuinely OK now.Just seconds from smashing into the ground, the co-pilot managed to regain control and the Chinook soared into the sky. They had escaped death by a hair’s breadth. The good thing about the Chinook”Liz explained , “compared to something like the Puma and even the Merlin is that it’s got a lot of redundant space. So you can take a lot around you, a lot of battle damage and as long as the engines are still running and you are still going, then you’re okay. McConaghy was the longest-serving female crewman on the RAF Chinook Fleet, spanning a 17-year career on the aircraft. We’re all really bad at saying: ‘I’m living the dream, things are great’. And, whenever you do get asked that question, give your mental health a number. Are you a six, a five or maybe a seven today? There are two reasons for that. Firstly, it helps you gauge where you are, so you’ll notice changes or not. If you’ve been at number three for a few weeks that’s not good. But if you can get everyone to use that system, it’s also a good measure for other people and help them notice how you’re doing.”

Liz McConaghy - Yeovil Literary Festival

Liz talks to us about her flying career, the mighty Chinook and the after-effects of war, stress and the impact on her mental health. On this week's episode we speak with current serving Queensland Police Officer (QPS) Detective Senior Constable / Author Sonya Leeding,

Cameron joined the Victoria Police at eighteen years old and served over 35 years in policing. Firstly, with Victoria Police and then with the Australian Federal Police. Most of his time with Victoria Police was as an air observer with the Police Air Wing. In 2006 Cameron joined the Australian Federal Police and served on overseas missions with the International Deployment Group that included the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. He then transferred into an investigation’s role, beginning with general crime, then people smuggling operations and eventually counter terrorism. Cameron has written a book about his time in the Victoria Police & the AFP. The book is called Ten Feet Tall and Not Quite Bulletproof: Drug Busts and Helicopter Rescues One Cop’s Extraordinary True Story. It is also a book which will give the public some insight into the life of a Policeman and how they have to deal with PTSD. Bull started ski paddling at the age of 16 for surf lifesaving and was the Under 17 Australian Ironwoman Champion in 2012. What follows is sketchy, but the next memory McConaghy has is waking up from a 40-hour coma in a hospital bed in Basingstoke. Miraculously, she had survived. But how? It turns out, after swallowing the pills, she had called Samaritans and the emergency services. contemporary research surrounding resilience, mindset, and posttraumatic growth, and explores the strategies that can transform personal trauma into personal

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By way of a parting message for readers, McConaghy appeals to anyone going through similar issues she has experienced to seek help. PTSD doesn’t have to stay with you forever. It’s a chapter in my book, it’s not an anchor that I wear around my legs forever or a new label that I have to have forever,” she said. “I’ve met so many people via social media who tag themselves as the broken soldier or the forgotten veteran. But just like anything in your body, the bone you break or whatever, with the right time and methods you can heal, and you can move on and recover. I really want to get the message out – just because I had PTSD does not mean I have to have it forever.” Veterans are their own worst enemy.” McConaghy explained. “We never ask for help, mostly because it’s been bred into us. You’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to be resilient. All those things that the military teach you to be becomes your make-up. So, it’s really hard to ask for help when you’re getting out [of the military] or are out.

Chinook Crew Chick

On this week’s podcast we speak with 2 x Olympian kayaker & QFS Queensland Fire Service firefighter Aly Bull. Born and raised in Queensland Aly’s love for the water came at a young age. Please note, some parts of this episode include discussion about mental health and wellbeing issues. If you feel you may need to reach out for support in the UK : Royal Australian Air Force for 16 years. She deployed to Timor-Leste in 2000 and again in 2004, where she narrowly escaped death twice – first in a near-fatal helicopter crash and again during the surgery that followed. Having fought for her I think if you want that extra ‘ohh, isn’t she amazing? Look, she’s the girl doing this job,’ you’re almost saying that they’re not capable of it in the first place.’ Upon leaving the RAF in 2019, Liz slowly unravelled after a series of traumatic events compounding her PTSD. This led to her trying to end her life in Aug 2020.